World Cup 2022 Qualifying Draw

[JA News]

The draw for FIFA World Cup qualifying takes place this evening at 17:00 GMT.

It will take place at Fifa headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland - and will be a virtual event with no representatives of member nations present.

Full pot seedings (55 nations in total):
Pot 1: Belgium, France, England, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands.
Pot 2: Switzerland, Wales, Poland, Sweden, Austria, Ukraine, Serbia, Turkey, Slovakia, Romania.
Pot 3: Russia, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Czech Republic, Norway, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Scotland, Greece, Finland.
Pot 4: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Israel, Belarus, Georgia, Luxembourg.
Pot 5: Armenia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Latvia, Andorra.
Pot 6: Malta, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar, San Marino.

One country from each pot will be drawn into a group, meaning there will be five groups of six nations and the same number comprised of five.

The four countries through to the 2021 Nations League finals in October - Belgium, France, Italy and Spain - are certain to be in the smaller five-team groups.

Europe will send 13 countries to Qatar, 10 of which will be the group winners.

The 10 group runners-up will go through to the play-offs, along with the two best Nations League group winners who do not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group.

The 12 play-off teams will be drawn into three separate play-off paths, each of which will comprise semi-finals and final, with the three winners heading to Qatar.

When are the World Cup qualifying group matches?
March 2021: Matchday 1-3
September 2021: Matchday 4-6
October 2021: Matchday 7-8
November 2021: Matchday 9-10
March 2022: Playoffs

 

[PSumbler]

Who does everyone fancy in the Welsh group?

Croatia or Denmark
Northern Ireland or Scotland
Luxembourg
Andorra
Gibraltar or San Marino

 

[Trampie]

Who does everyone fancy in the Welsh group?

Croatia or Denmark
Northern Ireland or Scotland
Luxembourg
Andorra
Gibraltar or San Marino

I would go for that as well.

 

[JackFish]

Who does everyone fancy in the Welsh group?

Croatia or Denmark
Northern Ireland or Scotland
Luxembourg
Andorra
Gibraltar or San Marino

Yeah that sounds decent. I think Denmark are the weakest team in Pot 1 (although still pretty good of course, I think we can give them a challenge for top spot, which we probably wouldn't be able to do with the others). Iceland have gone a bit shit recently too so wouldn't mind them, but Northern Ireland stand out. Luxembourg from 4 and Andorra from 5 would be amazing!

 

[JackFish]

Belgium yet again! Third time in the last five qualifiers.

 

[JackFish]

We haven't played Belarus for ages and Estonia ever, a shame we probably won't be able to go to the matches as they seem like decent trips! Hard to see past Belgium for top spot but we should be fighting with the Czechs for second. Could be a bit of a weird situation if we're out of contention for first though since if Belgium win the group we're guaranteed a playoff place.

 

[JackSomething]

Even when we get to be second seeds we get craps draws. Not one of those teams is an automatic win. Yet England get Albania, Andorra and San Marino! They could play the U21's in those 6 games and get an easy 18 points.

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Belgium
Wales
Czech Republic
Belarus
Estonia

 

[TheLoneRanger]

Group A: Portugal, Serbia, Rep of Ireland, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan

Group B: Spain, Sweden, Greece, Georgia, Kosovo

Group C: Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Lithuania

Group D: France, Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan

Group E: Belgium, Wales, Czech Republic, Belarus, Estonia

Group F: Denmark, Austria, Scotland, Israel, Faroe Islands, Moldova

Group G: Netherlands, Turkey, Norway, Montenegro, Latvia, Gibraltar

Group H: Croatia, Slovakia, Russia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta

Group I: England, Poland, Hungary, Albania, Andorra, San Marino

Group J: Germany, Romania, Iceland, North Macedonia, Armenia, Liechtenstein

 

[Cooperman]

Belgium
Wales
Czech Republic
Belarus
Estonia

Brussels, Prague, Tallinn for a pint - tidy, all very nice.
Minsk - thanks but no thanks.

 

[JBT95]

Even when we get to be second seeds we get craps draws. Not one of those teams is an automatic win. Yet England get Albania, Andorra and San Marino! They could play the U21's in those 6 games and get an easy 18 points.

Yes they are Wales' Belarus and Estonia though (no pot 6 for Wales as 5 team group).

England arguably got the best side in Pot 2 in Poland and a tough one in Hungary (play-off winners for the Euros don't forget).

 

[JBT95]

We haven't played Belarus for ages and Estonia ever, a shame we probably won't be able to go to the matches as they seem like decent trips! Hard to see past Belgium for top spot but we should be fighting with the Czechs for second. Could be a bit of a weird situation if we're out of contention for first though since if Belgium win the group we're guaranteed a playoff place.

We have to go for first, but probably will need 22 pts for that, only dropping points against Belgium once. Goal difference separates sides on equal points (head to head in the Euros).

Even second it's in our interests to try get 18 from 18 against the other three to ensure we are a top 6 runner up = home play-off semi.
If we qualify through the nations league that would be an away tie.

 

[Trampie]

Gutted with that draw, no easy 3 pointers there, group is so tough that even if we finished second we would have a job to get enough points to get a home play off spot.

 

[JackSomething]

Even when we get to be second seeds we get craps draws. Not one of those teams is an automatic win. Yet England get Albania, Andorra and San Marino! They could play the U21's in those 6 games and get an easy 18 points.

Yes they are Wales' Belarus and Estonia though (no pot 6 for Wales as 5 team group).

England arguably got the best side in Pot 2 in Poland and a tough one in Hungary (play-off winners for the Euros don't forget).

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding your first line, but I think you're pointing out that England's Pot 4 team was Albania and their Pot 5 team was Andorra? If so, I was aware of that, but compare the relative strength of our teams from those pots to theirs in their World Cup Qualifying history:

Pot 4: Belarus - Played 58, 13 wins (Win percentage of 22.41%)
Estonia - Played 76, 16 wins (Win percentage of 21.05%)

Pot 5: Albania - Played 104, 18 wins (Win percentage of 17.31%)
Andorra - Played 52, 2 wins (Win percentage of 3.85%)

So our team from Pot 5 has a better record than their team from Pot 4! Although to be fair, I've just checked and Estonia have only won 2 of their last 16 games (Finland and Gibralter). Still way better than Andorra though.

I appreciate Poland were one of the better teams in Pot 2, but Hungary will pose them no problems. We've played them 4 times this century and won 3 of them.

 

[PSumbler]

Belgium v Wales Wednesday 24 March 19:45

Wales v Czech Republic Tuesday 30 March 19:45

Belarus v Wales Sunday 05 September 15:00

Wales v Estonia Wednesday 08 September 19:45

Czech Republic v Wales Friday 08 October 19:45

Estonia v Wales Monday 11 October 19:45

Wales v Belarus Saturday 13 November 19:45

Wales v Belgium Tuesday 16 November 19:45