The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A has been determined, and host nation Qatar will be cursing its fate, given the names that emerged from the other three pots.
Despite being ranked 51st, Qatar was placed in Pot 1 with the top-seeded teams, common at FIFA World Cup tournaments. As is customary, the hosts were immediately assigned to Group A.
Then came the teams from the other groups: The Netherlands, who missed the last World Cup but are back and fielding a good team, finished second behind the hosts. Senegal, the AFCON 2022 champions, is also in the group, making this a challenging draw for the hosts. Finally, Ecuador was chosen from Pot 4 to complete the group.
Qatar was assigned to the most challenging Pot 2 team, the most brutal Pot 3 team, and the second-toughest Pot 4 team according to FIFA rankings.
In the Round of 16, the two teams from Group A who advance would be paired with a team from Group B.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A match schedule
|
Date |
Match |
Time (IST) |
Time (BDT) |
Stadium |
|
21 Nov 2022 |
Senegal vs. Netherlands |
14:30 |
15:00 |
Al Thumama Stadium |
|
21 Nov 2022 |
Qatar vs. Ecuador |
20:30 |
21:00 |
Al Bayt Stadium |
|
25 Nov 2022 |
Qatar vs. Senegal |
17:30 |
18:00 |
Al Thumama Stadium |
|
25 Nov 2022 |
Netherlands vs. Ecuador |
20:30 |
21:00 |
Khalifa Int’l Stadium |
|
29 Nov 2022 |
Netherlands vs. Qatar |
19:30 |
20:00 |
Al Bayt Stadium |
|
29 Nov 2022 |
Ecuador vs. Senegal |
19:30 |
20:00 |
Khalifa Int’l Stadium |
Each of the four teams will play the other three nations in a round-robin style. The points from those three group-stage matches are used to determine the group rankings – three points for a victory, one point for a tie, and none for a defeat.
The single-game knockouts are held for the top two clubs in each group based on total points. If two clubs are tied on points, the first tiebreaker is goal differential, followed by goals scored. A different set of tiebreakers is used if teams are tied in those areas.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A Teams Overview
Qatar
- Current FIFA world ranking: 51st (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: Asia – 5th
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): —
- Manager: Felix Sanchez since July 2017
- Key players: Akram Afif (Al-Sadd SC / Qatar), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al-Sadd SC / Qatar)
- Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail SC / Qatar),
- How qualified: Tournament host
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-1 / Lose-0 / Draw-1 (Goals: 2 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: Win-12 / Lose-7 / Draw-5 (Goals: 35 scored / 32 conceded)
Qatar is determined to put on a show for football fans worldwide as the 2022 World Cup host, which includes on the field.
Since winning the right to host the tournament in December 2010, the small Gulf country with a population of under three million has spent heavily on its national team program. The money spent on player development, coaching, and infrastructure has paid off, with the team now ranked No. 51 in the FIFA World Rankings, up from 112th. In 2019, it also resulted in the first Asian Cup.
Since 2017, Qatar has established an attack-minded, attractive playing style that will win over supporters no matter how far they advance in their maiden World Cup campaign, led by ex-Barcelona youth coach Felix Sanchez.
Netherlands
- Current FIFA world ranking: 10th (March. 2022)
- Regional ranking: UEFA – 7th
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 10 (Brazil 2014)
- Manager: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands) since August 2021
- Key players: Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus / Italy), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool / England), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona / Spain)
- How qualified: UEFA Group G winners: 7W-1L-2D
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-1 / Lose-0 / Draw-1 (Goals: 5 scored / 3 conceded)
- 2021: Win-11 / Lose-2 / Draw-3 (Goals: 46 scored / 14 conceded)
In his third term in charge of the Netherlands, Louis van Gaal will be trying to put all of his expertise to good use in leading his country to the World Cup finals for the first time in eight years.
They finished third in 2014 and did not qualify for Russia the following year. Still, their fortunes have improved since then, with a new generation of talent led by Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong and Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt.
The Dutch won a qualification group that includes Turkey and Norway, led by Liverpool dynamo Virgil van Dijk, who will be trying to solidify his status as the best defender in the world.
Senegal
- Current FIFA world ranking: 20th (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: CAF – 1st
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 2 (Russia 2018)
- Manger: Aliou Cisse (Senegal) since March, 2015
- Key players: Sadio Mane (Liverpool / England), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea / England), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli / Italy)
- How qualified: (CAF Third Round winners: (agg 1-1 vs. Egypt, Senegal win on penalties)
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-5 / Lose-1 / Draw-3 (Goals: 10 scored / 3 conceded)
- 2021: Win-10 / Lose-1 / Draw-5 (Goals: 29 scored / 12 conceded)
Senegal qualified for the World Cup 2022 with a penalty shootout, but the country will aim to build on its recent success, which has already won it the title of Africa’s monarchy.
Aliou Cisse’s side defeated Egypt once in February to win their first AFCON title, and they did it again in the final round of African qualifying to secure a spot in Qatar — albeit in a contentious match in which fans in the stadium used laser pointers to distract Egypt’s players during the penalty shootout.
That encounter saw yet another brawl between two Liverpool talismans, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and the Senegalese hopes will undoubtedly be pinned on the latter. They do, however, have access to some top-tier players, including Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Surprisingly, Senegal has the highest win rate of any African side competing in the World Cup.
Ecuador
- Current FIFA world ranking: 46th (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: CONMEBOL – 7th
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 3 (Brazil 2014)
- Manager: Gustavo Alfaro (Argentina) since August, 2020
- Key players: Enner Valencia (Fenerbahce / Turkey), Pervis Estupinan (Villarreal / Spain), Carlos Gruezo (Augsburg / Germany)
- How qualified: (CONMEBOL fourth place: 7W-6L-5D
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: Win-0 / Lose-1 / Draw-3 (Goals: 4 scored / 6 conceded)
- 2021: Win-6 / Lose-6 / Draw-6 (Goals: 21 scored / 20 conceded)
Ecuador was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the last major tournament, the Copa America, after being crushed 3-0 by eventual champions Argentina. Gustavo Alfaro’s team will need to be far more resilient to escape an early exit from the World Cup.
Ecuador will be led by veteran attacker Enner Valencia, the country’s all-time leading scorer with 35 goals. They return to the world’s greatest stage after missing out on the 2018 event.
Pervis Estupinan, a defender for Villarreal, is another good player, but the team isn’t the best and may struggle to equal some of their more famed group competitors.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A to advance
The top two teams from Group A will advance to the Round of 16, where they will meet the top two teams from Group B on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4.
Others World Cup Groups Breakdowns:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D
Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H
