World Cup draw

Follow the draw for the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals live with ESPN, as the 32 teams find out their group stage opponents.

11.00 ET / 15.00 GMT: Welcome to the 2022 World Cup finals draw.... 11.18 ET / 15.18 GMT: We will know the group stage fixtures and dates for all 32 teams as soon as the draw is made. However, we will have to wait to discover the venues and kickoff times. 11.36 ET / 15.36 GMT: After over 11 years since they won the bid to host the World Cup, Friday is a landmark day for Qatar's biggest event yet. 12.32 ET / 16.32 GMT: France coach Didier Deschamps is bringing out the World Cup trophy onto the stage. Japan and Costa Rica or New Zealand complete the group and will have their work cut out to make the knockout rounds. 13.20 ET / 17.20 GMT: Phew! That went at breakneck speed once the draw actually began. Suarez was sent off, Ghana missed the penalty and Uruguay went on to win on a shootout. "For most of the first seeds they would be pleased with the group they get. Well, in the 2010 World Cup, it was Ghana who thought they had scored with the last kick to go through to the semifinals. Asked about potential round-of-16 opponents, Southgate said: "We have to get out of the group first. And then with Ukraine, you're pulling for them naturally just because of everything that's going on and you want to give the people hope and spirit so it would be nice to see Ukraine pull through.

The draw threw up political intrigue, a heavyweight European clash and one group that is particularly hard to call.

It is 20 years since Brazil were the last non-European winner of a World Cup and again they are one of perhaps two non-European sides who might realistically be considered capable of success. The biggest doubts are at the back, where Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld will have a combined age of 69 by the time the World Cup begins. No nation has anything approaching the depth of the world champions. Saudi Arabia are grimly consistent under Hervé Renard, the only coach ever to win the Africa Cup of Nations with two different countries. Certainly they should have the squad for it and in Gareth Southgate they have a clear-sighted, sober leader who has shown how a supportive environment can be created; the doubt is whether he is quick enough to react tactically when games begin to slip away from his side. They did, though, win the Asian Cup under their Spanish coach, Félix Sánchez, in 2019.

Will the Qatar edition mark the first time in 20 years that a non-European nation takes home the World Cup trophy?

Otto Addo was placed in temporary charge for that playoff and he could point with justifiable satisfaction to the way his side controlled the game even in the hostile atmosphere in Abuja. It may feel it has a point to prove against Uruguay, after the way Luis Suarez’s handball denied it at the last minute in the 2010 quarterfinal. Óscar Tabárez had been in charge for 15 years, had reshaped the entire structure of the country’s coaching and youth development, won a Copa América and led his side to a World Cup semifinal, but a sense of staleness had taken hold. Brazil won the World Cup last time it was staged in Asia. Twenty years on, it is one of probably only two sides with a realistic chance of putting a stop to the run of four straight European winners that have followed. Son Heung-min is the obvious star, but this is a side based on its defense; it conceded just three goals in those 10 group games. It went out in the group at the African Cup of Nations, and rather limped through qualifying, needing a highly questionable penalty against South Africa to top its group before an away goals win over Nigeria in the playoff. Kevin De Bruyne remains one of the best midfielders in the world, but, while there are questions about Romelu Lukaku’s form, the biggest issues are at the back where Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld will have a combined age of 68 by the time the World Cup begins. It had only ever won two matches at a World Cup stage, but one of those was against the U. S. in 1998. It faces familiar opposition in Mexico, now under a former Argentina coach in Gerardo Martino. They met in the first World Cup and they’ve met twice since, Argentina wining on all three occasions. Memories of that embarrassment and Gareth Southgate’s admirable sobriety should guard against overconfidence, as should the fact that, by world ranking, this is the toughest group. Which, of course, brings up the biggest issue of this World Cup: that it is being held in Qatar, the most controversial host since the Argentinian junta of 1978. Hosts are never easy to assess given their dearth of qualifiers, but despite that Asian Cup success in 2019, there must be concern about the string of heavy defeats to Portugal, Ireland and Serbia last autumn and a draw against Azerbaijan. South Africa, though, remains the only host to fail to make it out of the group. And that perhaps hints at a growing sense that the expansion of football seen in the 1980s and ’90s is heading into retreat, that money is beginning to dominate the international game as the major western European nations invest in youth development.

The draw for the 2022 Qatar World Cup has taken place in Doha. Read on to find out who our Gunners could face in the tournament, if selected for their nations:.

Japan - Takehiro Tomiyasu is expected to feature in his first World Cup this winter in group games against Spain, Germany and Costa Rica/New Zealand. Uruguay - our tenacious midfielder Lucas Torreira is set to play at his second World Cup and face Portugal, Ghana and Korea Republic. Spain - our defensive duo Hector Bellerin and Pablo Mari could both receive call-ups to Luis Enrique's squad and face Germany, Japan and Costa Rica/New Zealand

The winner of June's playoff between NZ and Costa Rica will head into Group E with former world champions Spain and Germany as well as Japan.

Should New Zealand win, they would be the lowest ranked team at the competition at No.101 after their rank rose 10 places in FIFA's latest edition following the Oceania Qualifying Tournament earlier this week. The All Whites will play Costa Rica for the spot in a one-off match in Doha, Qatar in Mid-June. The groups for this year's 32-team World Cup were drawn on Saturday in Qatar with New Zealand or Costa Rica to join Group E alongside former world champions Spain and Germany, as well as Japan.

The teams in Group E at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be determined by a draw taking place on April 1 in Doha, Qatar. The tournament will be hosted by Qatar ...

New Zealand will also get an opportunity to reach the World Cup for the third time in the country’s history, after coming through the OFC region. Costa Rica’s fate will be decided by playoff after finishing fourth in CONCACAF qualifying. The four teams selected into the group will play a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. If teams are also tied in those categories another set of tiebreakers is applied. The first-place and second-place finishers in Group E will move on to the Round of 16 and will face off against the two teams to advance from Group F on Monday, Dec. 5, and Tuesday, Dec. 6. Japan will also see a chance to make the knockout phase, having qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup in three of the last five occasions.

New Zealand take on Costa Rica in a one-game intercontinental playoff in June, with the winner making it to Qatar for the World Cup later in November. The ...

We want this to be a World Cup of unity and the World Cup of peace." Please engage in peace. The suffering of low-paid migrant workers went unmentioned. Images of skyscrapers growing from the sand served as a reminder of the vast projects required to develop this gas-rich nation in recent decades. Please engage in dialogue. Throw into the mix in Group B, England, whose government has endured tense relations with Tehran.

Group E is undoubtedly the most intriguing, with the Spanish and Germans joined by Japan and either Costa Rica or New Zealand, with their deciding playoff match ...

The two are also joined by the Netherlands and Senegal in Group A.Qatar has relatively recent experience of playing South American nations after being invited to the 2019 Copa America. The Qataris acquitted themselves well, making Argentina work hard for a 2-0 win and earning a well-deserved pointed against Paraguay.France, winners of the 2018 and 1998 World Cups, were drawn into Group D with Denmark, Tunisia and the winner of an Intercontinental play-off -- either Australia, United Arab Emirates or Peru.Group B also offers up a number of interesting clashes, with 2018 semifinalists England facing the USA, Iran and one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine. The last time England faced the USA at a World Cup was back in 2010 -- and it's a match that still gives English fans nightmares.A calamitous error from then goalkeeper Rob Green gifted the Americans an equalizer after Steven Gerrard had opened the scoring for England.Ghana has also been offered a change of revenge of sorts after being drawn in Group H alongside Uruguay.In 2010, Luis Suarez infamously used his hands to block Dominic Adiyiah's goalbound effort on the line in the dying seconds of their quarterfinal.Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty -- resulting in Suarez running down the tunnel in celebration -- and Uruguay eventually reached the semifinals after a penalty shootout.Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo likely appearing at his last World Cup, and South Korea complete Group H in what will perhaps be one of the trickier groups to predict.Qatar 2022 will also likely be Lionel Messi's last World Cup for Argentina. Like Ronaldo, the 34-year-old has never won the World Cup but came agonizingly close in 2014, losing out to Germany in the final.Under Lionel Scaloni, the Argentines are in a considerably better place than they were four years ago in Russia and will certainly be confident of advancing out of group that includes Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia.Canada's reward for qualifying for a first World Cup in 36 years is a showdown against two of European football's leading protagonists in recent years. FIFA World Cup draw: Spain and Germany to face off in mouth-watering group stage matchSpain and Germany will face off in the headline act of the group stages at the 2022 World Cup after the draw for the tournament was made in Doha on Friday. Group E is undoubtedly the most intriguing, with the Spanish and Germans joined by Japan and either Costa Rica or New Zealand, with their deciding playoff match scheduled for June 13 or 14.Germany will certainly be hoping the match will be nothing like the previous meeting between the two nations, as Spain ran riot in a 6-0 victory during the Nations League in 2020.Host nation Qatar will play Ecuador in the opening day's third match after their World Cup opener was moved to better suit TV audiences in the South American nation.

The draw for the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 is done and it has thrown out some intriguing fixtures.

Group E perhaps has the biggest claim to take the title, with former world champions Germany and Spain featuring in it. That contains England, Iran, USA and one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine, who are in the European play-offs. But by average world rankings it is actually Group B that is the hardest. That lack of action against European teams is something that has been concerning Brazil boss Tite. "They are two huge contenders with Brazil, Argentina and one or two others. It has already been a good year for Senegal after they won the Africa Cup of Nations in January and they are likely to be happy with the group they have been placed in. "There is no real pressure on this team. "When you're seeded you get the advantage of missing out on those big six or seven teams," England boss Gareth Southgate said. He was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed his spot-kick and Uruguay won on penalties. We fancy our chances. An omen? But there is hope this might be an opening day to remember, since unusually there are four games on the opening day of this condensed World Cup - including England v Iran. It will be the first time England have played on the opening day of a World Cup since 1966.

Lionel Messi up against Robert Lewandowski. Spain playing Germany in a battle if the giants. And Luis Suarez potentially 'handed' another game against old ...

The penalty was missed and Uruguay went on to win the shootout. Indeed, England have never beaten the US in a World Cup finals, having drawn 1-1 in their 2010 group match. In 2018, they also faced Peru and Australia in their group, so a three-team reunion is also possible depending on the outcome of an intercontinental play-off bracket in June. England will open against Iran in a first-ever World Cup game between the countries. England and the US will play each other in their second game, bringing back inevitable talk of the 1950 sensation in Belo Horizonte when the Americans won. Hosts Qatar will make their World Cup debut in the tournament's first match against Ecuador on November 21.

Gregg Berhalter, Tyler Adams, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie spoke about the World Cup challenge that awaits.

So it’s going be important that now we have the mindset going into this tournament that we have really good performances.” “To be honest, the sooner the better for me. “I think everyone really knows a lot about England and what they have to offer, and their roster and the players that they have, the caliber of them,” U. S. midfielder Weston McKennie said. On Friday, as Berhalter and his players were taking it all in, it was more about the excitement of returning to this stage and, as Adams said, simply seeing the U. S. included in the draw and imagining what might be possible. I consider him an excellent coach, and have a lot of respect for what he’s done with the program.” While one is the birthplace of the game and the other is relatively new to it, the exposure English football enjoys in the U.S. is massive and its influence on U.S. soccer is immeasurable. Pulisic is one of a handful of U. S. players with ties to England. Several play in the Premier League or Championship, left back Antonee Robinson is a native and midfielder Yunus Musah spent a chunk of his childhood there. “So I honestly didn’t have any expectations going into [the draw]. I’ve had a couple Champions League draws now, and I’ve had what’s the ‘group of death’ where we had Man City and PSG, and then I’ve had groups that are quote-unquote a little bit easier. When you add that European team to it, it’s going to be a well-rounded group and it’s going be difficult to advance. But that’s a positive, because I think everyone’s going to be battling and … I think it will come down to the last game.” But I’m going on fumes and it’s a positive type of fumes that you’re going on. “We had plans to go to Dubai a week before with the entire team.

Here is how the 2022 World Cup draw went for the USMNT and who the American soccer players will face in Qatar this November.

As such, they’ve also never made it out of the group stage. Iran is ranked No. 21, but that is largely inflated by its team beating up on lesser Middle Eastern and Asian sides during World Cup qualifying. Here is what you need to know about USMNT World Cup opponents in Group B. The USMNT got a 1-1 draw in the head-to-head matchup and ended up winning the group. That means the stars and stripes’ schedule in Qatar will look like this: Each group consists of four teams, and the World Cup starts with every team playing three games, one against each side in its group.

Should the All Whites overcome their final qualifying hurdle - an intercontinental playoff with Central Americans Costa Rica - they will land in the unofficial ...

Argentina will face Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland at Qatar 2022 this November, after Friday's World Cup draw in Doha.

They were knocked out of the 2018 tournament in Russia in the group stage. Geopolitical rivals the United States and Iran were also drawn together. Qatar will also take on African champions Senegal as well as the Netherlands, who return to the World Cup after missing out in 2018, in Group A. It will be the first World Cup held in November and December, the move from the usual June and July slot necessary because of the extreme heat in the Gulf region at that time of year. Hosts Qatar, who will be appearing at their first World Cup, will face Ecuador in the World Cup's opening game at the 60,000-seat Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor, 35 kilometres north-east of Doha. Iran and the United States last met at the 1998 World Cup in France when the Iranians won the politically-charged game 2-1 in Lyon.

Socceroos eye 'revenge' for 2018; shock 'Group of Death': World Cup draw analysed.

Speaking of Group B, the United States has been a diplomatic arch rival of Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979. “It was a nice gesture at the time, but everyone has moved on. Mexico have a history at the World Cup.” Mehdi Mahdavikia, who scored Iran’s second goal, is on the Iran coaching staff. Their toughest opponents could be Mexico, whom Argentina defeated in the last 16 of both the 2006 and 2010 tournaments. “Sometimes in training I play as a goalkeeper, so it was worth it.” Some of the boys that were there in 2018 would like revenge and I am pretty sure that they will all be excited.” The two faced off in the 2010 Final (where Spain won 1-0 in extra time) France are the reigning World Champions while Denmark reached the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and are more than just dark horses this time around. Iran is focused on doing a good job at the World Cup and we are focused on the same thing,” he said after the groups were drawn in Doha. Indeed, many English pundits and fans have declared how pleased they are with their group rivals. They are going through a period of renewal but we are Spain, seventh in the world, and we want to beat everyone in the world.”

The teams in Group H at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be determined by a draw taking place on April 1 in Doha, Qatar. The tournament will be hosted by Qatar ...

Ghana will be present in Qatar following a valiant effort in the qualifying rounds, cementing a place in the tournament for the first time since 2014 by beating Nigeria on away goals in the African playoffs. Son Heung-min is South Korea’s most recognisable difference-maker, with the Tottenham forward a prolific goalscorer for club and country. South Korea finished second in a tough third-round qualification group, beaten only in the final fixture with a place at the finals already assured. Uruguay also got to the last eight at the 2018 World Cup, where eventual winners France edged them out. The four teams selected into the group will play a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes will also be pivotal for the Euro 2016 winners.

Japan will also provide a stern test, after comfortably negotiating AFC World Cup qualifying Group B where they finished in second place. Costa Rica or New ...

Spain may not be quite as dynamic as they were in the past but they can still cause many problems for opponents with their passing and creativity. Enrique is known for preferring quick transitions from defense to attack. Japan will also provide a stern test, after comfortably negotiating AFC World Cup qualifying Group B, where they finished in second place.

The group stage for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is set after the April 1 draw in Qatar. It's rich with storylines, starting with the USA facing England in Group ...

Only the top two teams in each group will advance to the Round of 16. There are eight nations still in the running for those final berths. And with seven months left to project and predict, many will be looking ahead at the potential knockout round pairings.

Often, draws do not mean what they seem to mean at first reading. Just ask Spain and Germany.

After all the pomp and the circumstance, the video montages and the marketing spiel dressed up as mission statements, all you can say with any certainty is that it will, when it comes, be colorful. The guys are fearless.” England might be comfortable favorites to win their group, but there is no reason to believe the United States — returning after an eight-year absence — cannot finish second. But the group stage draw is not really a draw just for the group stage: It is a road map for the entire tournament, too.

Despite the jingoism, Gareth Southgate's side do not have an easy group at a tournament tainted by Qatari sportswashing.

And none of it will matter because World Cups are not won in the group stage but in knockout games against the elite. The UK imposed sanctions on Iran in 2007 and although the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori last month removes an immediate flashpoint, there will be inevitable political tension. As Southgate pointed out, that third game against the winners of Uefa Path A will be difficult whoever qualifies. If that is the approach now when there has been time to prepare a PR strategy, you wonder what may happen come the chaos of the tournament itself. That hardly raises confidence and seems in direct contravention of regulations 15 and 23 of Fifa’s statutes, which stipulate the responsibility of members and confederations “to prohibit all forms of discrimination”. Regulation 4 makes clear that includes “gender” and “sexual orientation”. There have been at least 6,500 deaths of migrant workers on infrastructure projects in Qatar. It turns out they have paid more than £1bn for the privilege.

Mexico has learned its three opponents for the World Cup in Qatar. Can 'Tata' Martino's side break through and reach the knockout rounds?

It might be unthinkable to imagine them at the quarterfinals once again, but it was also just as unthinkable a few years back when they shocked the globe with their win over Germany. Last, but definitely not least, will be Herve Renard's Saudi Arabia. Although they appear to be the easiest opponent for Mexico on paper, Saudi Arabia recently topped their respective group in the Asian Football Confederation's final qualifying round with seven wins and two draws in 10 matches. Barring an unanticipated victory over Argentina, what will probably define their position in the table will be the battle against Poland in their World Cup opener. A draw or a loss in that first game would make things much more challenging. A change in management before the playoffs also indicates that this team could be a work-in-progress. So now the questions come: Do Mexico have a chance to emerge out of the group stage?

-- Germany goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer on being drawn with fellow former champions Spain. The Spanish thrashed Germany 6-0 in a Nations League match in ...

What matters to us is what will happen now." "What an emotion it is to be here in front of you. "It is the same handicap for everyone. "It's in the past. The lack of time is a handicap, but no team will have much time." "You can see clearly that Germany have improved.

One USMNT group stage opponent might be the biggest winner of the 2022 World Cup draw.

England drew the USA, Iran and potentially another British side as Wales gets set to face the winner of Scotland vs. Ukraine in June to determine the final ...

Wales will look to qualify for a first World Cup finals since 1958, when they reached the quarterfinals of the competition. Scotland’s ambitions of the World Cup have been revived once again, as they seek to be part of a first finals since 1998. Ukraine in the last UEFA playoff final, however, the tie between Scotland and Ukraine has been indefinitely postponed due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It has not yet been confirmed when that fixture will be settled. Football has rightly taken a back seat in Ukraine due to the ongoing invasion by Russian forces. That was enough for Iran to finish top of their group, as they edged out South Korea, who also qualified as runners-up. The U. S. will be a real threat going forward for teams to worry about, given their 21 goals scored in qualification. The four teams selected into the group will play a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. Iran, drawn as the first Pot 3 team, was moved to Group B with England and the United States due to fellow Asian confederation team Qatar's presence in Group A. It’s now a question of whether they can get over the line. Events away from the pitch mean that the outcome of who will qualify for the 2022 World Cup out of Wales, Scotland and Ukraine is yet to be determined. If teams are also tied in those categories another set of tiebreakers is applied. Group B in the FIFA World Cup promises to be one of the more compelling in 2022 with England drawn against the USA and Iran along with one more team yet to be determined.

The 2022 World Cup draw took place on Friday, with the 29 qualified nations and three remaining slots being organised into eight groups.