This week’s match draw will see the start of a World Cup not like some other in its 92 12 months historical past.
Three of the 32 entries for Friday’s draw ceremony will likely be placeholders as FIFA and Qatar host the occasion. It is because the three 12 months qualifying program, which was initially delayed and nonetheless ongoing, has been delayed.
The battle in Ukraine and a once-in-a century international well being disaster created a novel scenario.
Because of this 37 international locations will take part on Friday, 5 of which gained’t play in November when the “winter” World Cup begins.
The entire lineup gained’t be out there till June 14, when the intercontinental match spherical finishes in Qatar. That is 74 days from the draw, and the identical date that the 2018 match started in Russia.
FIFA might have been fortunate to maneuver the 2022 match from Qatar to November and December seven years in the past to keep away from the scorching desert warmth of Qatar’s scorching summer time.
This allowed for a later begin, which was mandatory after the COVID-19 pandemic that decimated almost each national-team recreation in Europe in 2020 had left little room for clearing the match backlog.
It additionally created uncertainty on the Doha Exhibition and Conference Middle. The present Friday begins at 7 p.m. (13600 GMT) and lasts for one hour.
One ball drawn from pot 4 will likely be for “Peru, Australia or the United Arab Emirates” and one other is for “Ukraine, Wales or Scotland.”
It’s the identical story at this essential World Cup milestone in presumably its impossible host nation, April 1.
It is a distinctive World Cup draw.
FIRST-TIMER QTAR
Qatar would be the top-seeded aspect in Group A and can take place A1 within the 64 matches scheduled in simply 28 days.
All host nations are eligible for the privilege, even when they’re ranked No. 65, identical to Russia. Qatar at the moment ranks No. 52.
Regardless of not qualifying for the finals, the Asian Cup winner in 2019 is an exception to the rule. Qatar will open the match at Al Bayt Stadium on Monday, November twenty first.
Because of this Qatar is ready to keep away from the top-ranked groups within the group stage, beginning at Nos. 1-7 — Brazil, Belgium France, Argentina England Spain, Portugal, France, France and Belgium.
These international locations would be the seven subsequent drawn from top-seeded pot 1, after which allotted to Teams B by way of C.
HOW SEEDING WORKS
The FIFA rankings are used to fill the seeding pots. These rankings are up to date each Thursday.
Pot 2 will draw the following eight highest-ranked gamers. After Wednesday’s qualifying video games, it contains Germany in addition to america and Mexico.
Pot 3 will likely be subsequent with international locations ranked within the 20s FIFA. Lastly, pot 4 will embody Canada, which is again within the World Cup after a spot of 36 years. Canada is now in pot 4, regardless of being the North American qualifying crew chief.
This straightforward format has been sophisticated by three playoff entries that have been delayed to June: the European bracket, which incorporates Ukraine, and the intercontinental playoffs.
FIFA weighted these entries down into pot 4, based mostly on the potential qualifiers with the bottom rating, resembling New Zealand, Scotland and the UAE.
Wales and Peru are higher-ranked groups within the playoffs. They are going to be seeded decrease than their true stage.
GEOGRAPHY LESSON
Potential match-ups are additionally restricted by geography. Apart from some Europeans, groups from the identical continent can’t be in the identical group. Europe holds 13 of 31 qualifying slots, they usually can’t all be prevented.
5 teams obtain two European groups and the three different teams every one. Because of this 2014 winner Germany can now be part of the defending champion France.
FIXTURESCHEDULE
Every round-robin consists of six video games for every four-team crew. One other draw is used to find out the order wherein every crew performs the others.
Every crew is then drawn and a second ball, both 1, 2, 3, or 4, is chosen to position the nation on the fixture grid.
Unpredictability signifies that the highest-ranking groups of a bunch can meet in any one of many three rounds.
KNOCKOUT STAGE
A knockout bracket is right for 32 groups. The spherical of 16 will likely be determined by the highest two groups from every group.
The bracket reveals the trail a crew will take to achieve the ultimate, semi-finals and remaining. Qatar should play the Group A runner-up whether it is to advance as Group A winner.
Groups that advance from the identical group can’t meet once more till the ultimate.
Good Drawing, Unhealthy Drawing?
Is there a “good”, or “dangerous” a part of the draw you could land in?
This congested match will probably show to be successful, and it’ll happen 4 days sooner than the 2018 Russian version.
Should you land in Group B, it signifies that you begin on Nov. 21 in Group G or A and never Nov. 24, in Group H. Because of this there are three extra relaxation days.
To win the title, the Group G winner should play seven video games in 25 days. This crew will get two days off earlier than the spherical of 16 video games on Dec. 5.
What’s the purpose for this tight schedule? The World Cup has pressured Europe’s home league seasons to take a break.
Europe’s prime leagues resisted shedding profitable weekend broadcast slots and made certain they’d play by way of Nov. 13, simply eight days earlier than the kickoff in Qatar.
