Group A in the FIFA World Cup is set, and host nation Qatar will be left ruing its luck given the names that emerged from the three other pots.
Despite being ranked No. 51, Qatar were included with the top-seeded teams in Pot 1 as is customary for host nations at FIFA World Cup events. The hosts were also automatically added to Group A, as is also tradition.
Then came the teams from the other groups: Behind the hosts are the Netherlands, who missed the last World Cup but are back and fielding a strong team. Also in the group are Senegal, the AFCON 2022 champions, making this a difficult draw for the hosts. And finally, Ecuador were drawn from Pot 4 to round out the group.
By FIFA rankings, Qatar drew the 2nd toughest Pot 2 team, the toughest Pot 3 team, and the second-toughest Pot 4 team. Brutal!
WORLD CUP DRAW BREAKDOWNS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D
Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H
For the two teams that advance from Group A, they would match up with a team from Group B in the Round of 16.
World Cup Group A table & fixtures
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1: Qatar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A2: Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A3: Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A4: Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group A match schedule
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 21 | Senegal vs. Netherlands | 5 a.m. | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 21 | Qatar vs. Ecuador | 11 a.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | Qatar vs. Senegal | 8 a.m. | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | Netherlands vs. Ecuador | 11 a.m. | Khalifa Int'l Stadium |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Netherlands vs. Qatar | 10 a.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Ecuador vs. Senegal | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int'l Stadium |
The four teams selected into the group will play a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. Group standings are based on points from those three group-stage matches — three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss.
The top two teams from each group based on total points advance to the single-game knockouts. If teams are tied on points, goal difference is the first tiebreaker followed by goals scored. If teams are also tied in those categories another set of tiebreakers is applied.
MORE: Are World Cup stadiums in Qatar air-conditioned?
World Cup Group A draw
Qatar
As the 2022 World Cup host, Qatar is determined to put on a show for football fans around the globe, and that includes on the field.
The small Gulf nation with a population under three million has invested significantly in its national team program over the last decade since it won the right to host the tournament back in Dec. 2010. Since then, the cash outlay on player development, coaching and infrastructure has paid off with a No. 51 FIFA World Ranking, up from 112th. It also resulted in a first Asian Cup in 2019.
With ex-Barcelona youth coach Felix Sanchez leading the way since 2017, Qatar has developed an attack-minded, entertaining playing style which is sure to win over fans no matter how far they advance in its first World Cup appearance.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 51 (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 5th (Asia)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): —
- How qualified: Tournament host
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 1W-0L-1D (Goals: 2 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: 12W-7L-5D (Goals: 35 scored / 32 conceded)
- Manager: Felix Sanchez (Spain) since July 2017
- Star players: Akram Afif (Al-Sadd SC / Qatar), Almoez Ali (Al-Duhail SC / Qatar), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al-Sadd SC / Qatar)
Netherlands
Louis van Gaal — in his third spell in the Netherlands hot seat — will be hoping to use all of his experience to guide the Dutch to the latter stages of the World Cup in a first appearance at the finals in eight years.
Third-place finishers back in 2014, they did not make it to Russia last time out but their fortunes have improved since then, led by a new generation of talent that includes the likes of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong and Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt.
Led from the back by Liverpool powerhouse Virgil van Dijk — who will be looking to cement his place as the best defender in the world — the Dutch won a qualification group that also included Turkey and Norway.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 10 (March. 2022)
- Regional ranking: 7th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 10 (Brazil 2014)
- How qualified: UEFA Group G winners: 7W-1L-2D
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 1W-0L-1D (Goals: 5 scored / 3 conceded)
- 2021: 11W-2L-3D (Goals: 46 scored / 14 conceded)
- Coach: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands) since August, 2021
- Star players: Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus / Italy), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool / England), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona / Spain)
Senegal
Senegal did things the hard way to book their place at Qatar 2022 via a penalty shootout but will look to continue a recent excellent vein of form that has already seen the country crowned as the kings of Africa.
Having beaten Egypt once to claim a first AFCON title in February, Aliou Cisse’s side repeated that in the final round of African qualifying to ensure a spot in Qatar — albeit that match was controversial, as fans in the stadium aimed laser pointers at Egypt’s players during the penalty shootout to put them off.
That match proved to be another battle between two Liverpool talismans, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and there is no doubt that the Senegalese hopes will largely rest with the latter man, as their primary attacking threat. But they also have some other world-class players to call on, including Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Senegal, interestingly, has the highest World Cup win percentage of any African nation in the field.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 20 (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 1st (CAF)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 2 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: (CAF Third Round winners: (agg 1-1 vs. Egypt, Senegal win on penalties)
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 5W-1L-3D (Goals: 10 scored / 3 conceded)
- 2021: 10W-1L-5D (Goals: 29 scored / 12 conceded)
- Coach: Aliou Cisse (Senegal) since March, 2015
- Star players: Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli / Italy), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea / England), Sadio Mane (Liverpool / England)
Ecuador
Ecuador went out in the quarterfinals of the last major tournament, the Copa America, as they were beaten 3-0 by eventual winners Argentina, and Gustavo Alfaro’s team will have to be much more resilient if they are to avoid an early exit from the World Cup.
Experienced forward Enner Valencia, who is his country’s all-time leading scorer with 35 goals, will have a significant part to play as Ecuador return to the world’s biggest stage after missing out on the 2018 tournament.
Villarreal defender Pervis Estupinan is another talented player, but the squad overall isn’t the strongest and may struggle to match some of their more illustrious group rivals.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 46 (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 7th (CONMEBOL)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 3 (Brazil 2014)
- How qualified: (CONMEBOL fourth place: 7W-6L-5D
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 0W-1L-3D (Goals: 4 scored / 6 conceded)
- 2021: 6W-6L-6D (Goals: 21 scored / 20 conceded)
- Coach: Gustavo Alfaro (Argentina) since August, 2020
- Star players: Enner Valencia (Fenerbahce / Turkey), Pervis Estupinan (Villarreal / Spain), Carlos Gruezo (Augsburg / Germany)
Teams to advance from World Cup Group A
Shortly after the World Cup Draw, sportsbooks are expected to hang group odds for each team to advance from the group stage.
The first-place and second-place finishers in Group A will move on to the Round of 16 and will face off against the two teams to advance from Group B on Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4.
The official FIFA 2022 World Cup match schedule outlines the following knockout pairings for the Round of 16 through to the final:
World Cup Round of 16
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 3 | 1A vs. 2B | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int'l |
| Sat, Dec. 3 | 1C vs. 2D | 2 p.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali |
| Sun, Dec. 4 | 1D vs. 2C | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
| Sun, Dec. 4 | 1B vs. 2A | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
| Mon, Dec. 5 | 1E vs. 2F | 10 a.m. | Al Janoub |
| Mon, Dec. 5 | 1G vs. 2H | 2 p.m. | Stadium 974 |
| Tues, Dec. 6 | 1F vs. 2E | 10 a.m. | Education City |
| Tues, Dec. 6 | 1H vs. 2G | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
World Cup Quarterfinals
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 9 | QF1: 1E/2F vs. 1G/2H | 10 a.m. | Education City |
| Fri, Dec. 9 | QF2: 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
| Sat, Dec. 10 | QF3: 1F/2E vs. 1H/2G | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
| Sat, Dec. 10 | QF4: 1B/2A vs. 1D/2C | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup Semifinals
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Tues, Dec. 13 | QF2 vs. QF1 | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
| Wed, Dec. 14 | QF4 vs. QF3 | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup 3rd Place
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 17 | Semifinal losers | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int'l |
World Cup Final
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sun, Dec. 18 | Semifinal winners | 10 a.m. | Lusail |
World Cup 2022 Group A draw: Qatar, Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador match schedule & fixtures - Sporting News
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