Despite the fact that we’re still several weeks away from learning all of the teams that will participate at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, teams were drawn into groups of four on Friday afternoon in Doha. There are slightly less than eight months to go before the tournament begins when the host nation will take on Ecuador, kicking off a month of soccer designed to crown the best national team in the world.
Here’s how the entire draw broke down, along with the days that each group will play its games.
Group A (Nov. 21, Nov. 25, Nov. 29)
Qatar
Ecuador
Senegal
Netherlands
Group B (Nov. 21, Nov. 25, Nov. 29)
England
Iran
USA
Scotland/Ukraine/Wales
Group C (Nov. 22, Nov. 26, Nov. 30)
Argentina
Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Poland
Group D (Nov. 22, Nov. 26, Nov. 30)
France
UAE/Australia/Peru
Denmark
Tunisia
Group E (Nov. 23, Nov. 27, Dec. 1)
Spain
Costa Rica/New Zealand
Germany
Japan
Group F (Nov. 23, Nov. 27, Dec. 1)
Belgium
Canada
Morocco
Croatia
Group G (Nov. 24, Nov. 28, Dec. 2)
Brazil
Serbia
Switzerland
Cameroon
Group H (Nov. 24, Nov. 28, Dec. 2)
Portugal
Ghana
Uruguay
South Korea
As for the matchups for each match day, there is a uniform scheduling process. Team 1 plays Team 2 and Team 3 plays Team 4 on match day one, match day two is 1 vs. 3 and 2 vs. 4, and to close things out on match day three, 1 plays 4 while 2 plays 3.
The final qualifying games — which will pit either the UAE or Australia against Peru in one and Costa Rica against New Zealand in the other — will take place in June, as will the final European play-off match between either Scotland or Ukraine and Wales. The 2022 World Cup will begin on Nov. 21 and run through Dec. 18, when the final will take place at the newly-built Lusail Iconic Stadium. Group play will come to an end on Dec. 2, with the knockout rounds beginning on Dec. 3.