World Cup 2022 qualifying draw LIVE: England in group with Poland, Wales to face Belgium – latest updates and reaction
THE countdown to the 2022 World Cup continues.
It may feel like a long time until the finals in around two years’ time, but qualifying is already underway in South America – and now it’s time for European nations, including England, to discover their fates.
Start time: 5pm GMT
TV channel: FIFA TV
England in POT 1 with Belgium, France, Spain and Germany
Wales in POT 2, Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland in POT 3
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
THAT’S ALL FOR TONIGHT
The World Cup qualifying group’s have been concluded and neither England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland have it easy!
Group games will start from March 2021 and the European teams’ qualification process will be done by March 2022 once the play-offs have been concluded.
Have a good one!
ON FORM
Luxembourg’s form in the past eight games: Won 3, Lost 4, Drawn 1
Republic of Ireland’s last eight: Won 0, Lost 4, Drawn 4
Luxenbourg have improved massively over the last couple of years and were unlucky not to be promoted into group B of the Nations League. No pushovers.
QUALIFYING REGULARS
England and Poland have met in five previous World Cup qualifying campaigns!
The two sides also met at the World Cup held in Mexico in 1986.
TEAM-MATES
Leeds team-mates Kalvin Phillips and Mateusz Klich could face off against each other in Group I.
Mateusz Klich v Kalvin Phillips in Group I of 2020 World Cup qualifying. #lufc
— Graham Smyth (@GrahamSmyth) December 7, 2020
QATAR DATES
The important dates for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
TWITTER REACTS
This is a good one!
KEY DATES
Here’s all the important dates for the World Cup qualification process.
Matchday 1 – 24–25 March 2021 Matchday 2 – 27–28 March 2021 Matchday 3 – 30–31 March 2021 Matchday 4 – 1–2 September 2021 Matchday 5 – 4–5 September 2021 Matchday 6 – 7–8 September 2021 Matchday 7 – 8–9 October 2021 Matchday 8 – 11–12 October 2021 Matchday 9 – 11–13 November 2021 Matchday 10 – 14–16 November 2021 Play-offs – 24, 25, 28, 29 March 2022
STRONG CHANCE
Wales may have been drawn with Belgium who are ranked the top team in the world, but they also have a good chance of taking the second place play-off spot.
They’ll face a fight with Czech Republic who are known for their tireless runners, for example Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal of West Ham.
FIGHTING CHANCE
Republic of Ireland have a fighting chance in group A, it looks like they’ll most likely slug it out for the second place play-off spot.
However, one fan highlights Serbia’s strengths as well as a warning about Azerbaijan.
TOUGH LUCK
Northern Ireland have been dealt a bad hand, they join four-time world champions Italy and Switzerland.
HOPEFUL
Scotland fans are enthusiastic for their group!
Pump Denmark pump Austria pump Israel pump faroe pump Moldova finish the group with 30 points with a goal difference of about 120
— rory inglis (@ringlis_01) December 7, 2020
THREE LIONS
Group J has arguably the top two strikers in world football in the same group – Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski.
And Andy makes a good point, the percentage of goals scored between the pair is bound to be high!
90% of the goals in that group will be scored by Kane and Lewandowski.
— Andy Purchase (@1AndyPurchase) December 7, 2020
KEY CLASHES
Happy with that?
Republic of Ireland will be battling it out with Serbia and Portugal for the top two spots, second secures a play-off place.
Northern Ireland have a hard group, they need to get past both Italy and Switzerland to qualify.
Wales are in with a good shot, they have number 1 ranked Belgium and Czech Republic – second spot play-off place more likely.
Scotland most definitely do not have it easy and it’ll be a real fight to the death, they need to get past the likes of Denmark, Austria and Israel to qualify.
And England, they’ve been given a difficult drawn. Poland and Hungary are no push overs.
They’ll be up against Robert Lewandowski, one of the worlds best strikers and if not the best player in the world last season.
And Hungary have their next big hope Dominik Szoboszlai, who is linked with a move to Arsenal.
QUALIFYING GROUPS
The qualifying groups have been decided!
England’s group looks rather exciting, they’ll be up against one of the worlds best Robert Lewandowski.
GROUP J
Last but not least, Leichtenstein join Germany in group J.
Germany
Romania
Iceland
North Macedonia
Armenia
Leichtenstein
GROUP I
San Marino join ENGLAND in group I.
England
Poland
Hungary
Albania
Andorra
San Marino
GROUP H
Malta join group H.
Croatia
Slovakia
Russia
Slovenia
Cyprus
Malta
GROUP G
Gibraltar are drawn next and they join group G.
Holland
Turkey
Norway
Montenegro
Latvia
Gibraltar
GROUP F
Onto the final pot and Moldova are drawn first in pot F.
Denmark
Austria
Scotland
Israel
Faroe Islands
Moldova
GROUP J
Armenia are the last team to be drawn from pot 5 and they join group J.
Germany
Romania
Iceland
North Macedonia
Armenia
GROUP I
Andorra join ENGLAND in group I.
England
Poland
Hungary
Albania
Andorra
GROUP H
Cyprus join group H and will face Croatia.
Croatia
Slovakia
Russia
Slovenia
Cyprus
GROUP G
Latvia join group G.
Holland
Turkey
Norway
Montenegro
Latvia
GROUP F
Faroe Islands join group F.
Denmark
Austria
Scotland
Israel
Faroe Islands
GROUP D
Kazakhstan join group D.
France
Ukraine
Finland
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Kazakhstan
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