The groups are set, now the 233-day countdown to kick-off in Qatar begins.
Actor Idris Elba and broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury opened the show before a slick draw proceeded without a hitch at the Doha Exhibition Center.
Coaches, players, and fans alike will now have seven months to scout the opposition before hosts Qatar face Ecuador in the curtain raiser on November 21.
The most optimistic can even start plotting routes to the final on December 18, with corresponding fixtures for the knockout stages pre-set.
England, the Netherlands, Argentina, and France will all find themselves on the same side of the draw should they progress from their groups, while the other half could see matchups between footballing powerhouses such as Spain, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, and Portugal.
Domestic seasons around the world will have concluded and then restarted by the time the World Cup rolls around in November but at that point, it’s all eyes on Qatar for the tournament’s first ever winter edition.
Spare a thought for Costa Rica and New Zealand, set to battle it out on June 14 for a place in Qatar knowing victory will reward them with a group featuring two of the last three World Cup winners.
Group E promises a tantalizing fixture between four-time winners Germany – whose most recent triumph came in 2014 – and Spain, champion for the first time in their history four years prior in South Africa.
Germany will be out to correct a disastrous defense of their crown in 2018, having crashed out in spectacular fashion by finishing bottom of a group featuring Sweden, Mexico, and South Korea.
A regenerating Spain side, fronted by Barcelona’s teenage sensation Pedri, will also be keen to reseal old wounds after suffering a round-of-16 exit to hosts Russia four years ago.
Japan complete group E, appearing at their seventh consecutive World Cup.
There might not be a traditional ‘group of death’ from Friday’s draw, but there is definitely the possibility for some huge local rivalries to be renewed in Qatar.
In group B, 2018 semifinalists England have been drawn alongside the US, Iran and the winner of the last playoff spot from Europe, which will be one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine.
Wales have already advanced to the final of the playoff branch, while Scotland and Ukraine’s semifinal has been postponed to June because of Russia’s invasion.
But if either Wales or Scotland advance to the World Cup in Qatar, it will be a huge game for either nations, playing against their big rivals England.
Wales last qualified for a World Cup way back in 1958 while Scotland’s last appearance came in 1998.
The football gods served up a revenge script fit for Hollywood screenwriters when they pitted Ghana against Uruguay in Group H in Friday’s World Cup draw.
July 2 will mark the 12-year anniversary of the night in South Africa that Luis Suarez broke a nation’s hearts.
The then-Ajax forward deliberately batted the ball away with his hand to prevent Ghana from scoring a certain goal that would have seen the Black Stars become the first African side to reach a World Cup semifinal.
Seconds from a penalt shootout, Suarez received a red card for his offence and Ghana were awarded a penalty, but Asamoah Gyan fizzed his spot-kick over via the crossbar.
Suarez celebrated wildly on his way to the changing rooms, salt rubbed even deeper into Ghanaian wounds as Uruguay proceeded to win the penalty shootout and progress to the semifinals.
Barring an injury, it is likely that Suarez will be in the line-up to face Ghana in Qatar. At 35, it looks set to be his final World Cup.
And so tees up the perfect opportunity for Ghana to have the last laugh, or a former tormentor to play the villain one last time.
Canada’s repayment for qualifying for its first World Cup in 36 years? Some juicy matches against some well-established footballing nations.
The Maple Leafs were drawn in a group alongside No. 2 in the FIFA rankings, Belgium, Morocco and 2018 finalists, Croatia.
Canada’s trip to Qatar in November will be the first one they have undertaken to a World Cup since 1986 after an emphatic 4-0 defeat of Jamaica saw the Canadians fly through as CONCACAF group leaders.
But the North Americans will have to be at their best if they want to qualify from their group, with star-studded Belgium – led by Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku – standing in the way.
While Croatia might not be as the same level as the 2018 edition, midfield maestro Luca Modric is still capable of unlocking any side – just ask Paris Saint-Germain.
And Morocco’s squad also includes some stand-out players, including Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and PSG’s Achraf Hakimi.
All nations now know their opponents for the 2022 World Cup group stage.
The opening match of the 22nd edition of the tournament will be hosts Qatar against Ecuador on November 21.
Also in Qatar’s group are the Netherlands and Africa Cup of Nations winners Senegal.
Elsewhere, there is the possibility of a British derby in Group B after England – semifinalists in 2018 – was drawn against the winner of the last playoff spot from Europe, which will be one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine.
The US make up the last team in the group.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina was drawn in Group C with Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland, while reigning champion France was drawn in Group D with one of the UAE, Australia or Peru, Denmark and Tunisia.
Few Americans will remember the country’s best ever World Cup run – a third place finish at the inaugural tournament in Uruguay, 92 years ago in 1930.
Though stunning England at the 1950 tournament in Brazil with a famous 1-0 win, the English had the last laugh as the US subsequently endured a 40-year absence from football’s premium international competition.
Since that return at Italia 90’, the US have enjoyed a consistent place at the table, failing to qualify only once for Russia in 2018.
A stunning run at the South Korea and Japan edition of the tournament in 2002 saw the US topple Portugal in the group stage, winning 3-2 against a side featuring legendary icons like Rui Costa and Luis Figo before pipping them to a knockout stage spot.
Goals from Brian McBride and Landon Donovan fired USMNT past Mexico and into the quarter-finals, wherein the team’s greatest run since 1930 was ended by Germany.
A 1-1 group stage draw against England in 2010 will live long in the memory for all except English goalkeeper Rob Green, who fumbled Clint Dempsey’s shot, with the US bowing out at the knockout stage.
They met the same fate at their most recent World Cup appearance in Brazil four years later, but now back for Qatar, the US will be hoping a new generation of stars can lead them into uncharted territory.
Chelsea star Christian Pulisic – affectionally dubbed ‘Captain America’ – will shoulder great expectations, though in Juventus’ Weston McKennie, Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna, and Barcelona’s Sergino Dest, the USMNT boast an array of stars with top-level European experience to share the burden.
At the very least the pressure is on to go further than Canada, their North American rivals at their first World Cup in 36 years.
After three years at the summit, Belgium have finally been knocked off their perch atop the FIFA rankings, with Brazil returning to claim their crown.
The Seleção hold the record for longest total time on top of the rankings with 4,731 days, but had been chasing the shadow of the European nation since 2019.
Emphatic wins for Brazil over Chile and Bolivia in March coincided with a 2-2 draw for Belgium against the Republic of Ireland, results that were enough to see the South Americans nudge ahead before the draw.
Such a reign of dominance was a hugely impressive feat for a country of just 11 million, though time is running out for the Red Devils’ golden generation to reap silverware from their undoubted array of star quality.
Read more about Belgium’s meteoric rise in this interactive piece here.
When the World Cup starts, there will be 64 games over 28 days in eight stadiums – all within 50 kilometers of Qatar’s capital, Doha.
Far from the continental tour of the multi-nationally hosted Euro 2020, fans at this year’s World Cup can look forward to shorter travel times and the opportunity to attend more than one match a day during the tournament’s early stages.
CNN took to the skies to scout out the stadia on offer.
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The first middle eastern host in the World Cup’s 92 year history, Qatar will be become the center of the footballing world when the tournament kicks off in December.
But what is a Qatari matchday experience like? In 2019, CNN were pitch-side for the Asian Champions League semi-final at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium to find out.
With 140 international caps between them, Clarence Seedorf and Michel Salgado know a thing or two about international football.
Legendary Dutch midfielder Seedorf reached the semifinal of the 1998 World Cup in France, while Real Madrid hero Salgado was part of the Spain squad that fell to the French at the knockout stages of the 2006 tournament in Germany.
Both then, have somewhat painful memories of France, but that hasn’t stopped them from tipping the 2018 winners to defend their title – in no small part due to the presence of one Kylian Mbappé.
“France is the team that, if they are able to perform, have the perfect mix between experience and young players,” Salgado told CNN’s Becky Anderson.
“They have Mbappé, right now making the big change in football. They have a great squad with [Karim] Benzema at front as well, [Antoine] Griezmann … [Paul] Pogba.
“They won the World Cup, they know how to do it. So I think they are the favorites.”
Rumors continue to swirl of Mbappé moving from Paris Saint-Germain to Salgado and Seedorf’s former club Real Madrid, a move that would see the 23-year-old reunited with compatriot Benzema.
Having lauded the French team’s “firepower,” Seedorf described Benzema as one of the world’s best forwards.
“They [Real Madrid] still one of the best strikers in the world, which is Benzema,” Seedorf said.
“I wonder where he [Mbappé] will be playing,” he added, speculating on Mbappé’s potential move to Madrid, “He is an amazing player, but … what are you going to do with him?”
With Benzema and Mbappé set to pair up in Qatar, December will further test that theory on the international stage.
The final round of matches to decide the five African teams that would head to Qatar were decided in hugely controversial circumstances on Tuesday.
A month on from pipping them to the Africa Cup of Nations trophy on penalties, Senegal again proved to be the bane of Egypt by winning in identical circumstances in their CAF (Confederation of African Football) qualifier.
A 1-1 draw over two legs saw the sides’ fates hinge on penalties, with widespread criticism emerging online regarding lasers shone at Egyptian players from the Senegalese crowd.
TV pictures showed Egyptian captain Mohamed Salah swarmed with green lasers before he subsequently missed his penalty, the Liverpool star escorted away as fans ran onto the pitch at full-time.
After the game, the Egyptian FA said its players, particularly Salah, were targeted with racist abuse from Senegalese fans. It also accused Senegal supporters of attacking and damaging the team bus.
READ: Egypt FA accuses Senegal fans of racism after dramatic World Cup playoff
Elsewhere, supporters in Nigeria stormed the field at the final whistle after a 1-1 draw saw Ghana secure a spot in Qatar at their expense.
Thomas Partey’s goal was enough to send Ghana through on away goals, condemning Nigeria to only its second failed qualification since 1994.
According to Reuters, fans threw objects at Ghana’s supporters and players, who had to battle to the tunnel to leave the pitch.
READ: Fans storm onto the pitch as Ghana earns World Cup berth over Nigeria
Seconds from a penalty shootout, a goal in the fourth minute of added time in extra-time from Lyon’s Karl Toko Ekambi saw Cameroon edge past Algeria on away goals.
They will be joined in Qatar by Morocco and Tunisia, who saw off DR Congo and Mali respectively.
