2022 FIFA World Cup Finals

[Famine]

So, the Sportwashing World Cup is nearly upon us, with 6,500 "migrant" workers reportedly dying in the process of constructing stadia in the desert designed by the grandson of a same-named Nazi architect.

32 teams have qualified, with every single former champion except Italy once again (for the fourth successive World Cup) qualifying, and every country ranked in the top 16 (except Italy) making the cut. All four of 2018's semi-finalists return, and only Sweden from the 2018 last eight don't.

Qatar takes the title of smallest country ever to qualify, at 4,400sqm, from Iceland who qualified for the last tournament but aren't here this time (Iceland still holds the record for smallest population).

The draw is today, and the first matches will take place in November - in the middle of most participating nations' league fixtures, so that'll be fun.

 

[Famine]

Group Stage:

Group A
1. 🇳🇱 Netherlands - P3 - W2 D1 L0 - +5 -1 - 7pt
2. 🇸🇳 Senegal - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +5 -4 - 6pt
3. 🇪🇨 Ecuador - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +4 -3 - 4pt
4. 🇶🇦 Qatar - P3 - W0 D0 L3 - +1 -7 - 0pt

Spoiler

20/11/2022 - Qatar 0-2 Ecuador
21/11/2022 - Senegal 0-2 Netherlands
25/11/2022 - Qatar 1-3 Senegal
25/11/2022 - Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador
29/11/2022 - Ecuador 1-2 Senegal
29/11/2022 - Netherlands 2-0 Qatar

Group B
1.

England - P3 - W2 D1 L0 - +9 -2 - 7pt
2. 🇺🇲 United States - P3 - W1 D2 L0 - +2 -1 - 5pt
3. 🇮🇷 Iran - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +4 -7 - 4pt
4.

Wales - P3 - W0 D1 L2 - +1 -6 - 1pt

Spoiler

21/11/2022 - England 6-2 Iran
21/11/2022 - United States 1-1 Wales
25/11/2022 - Wales 0-2 Iran
25/11/2022 - England 0-0 United States
29/11/2022 - Iran 0-1 United States
29/11/2022 - Wales 0-3 England

Group C
1. 🇦🇷 Argentina - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +5 -2 - 6pt
2. 🇵🇱 Poland - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +2 -2 - 4pt
3. 🇲🇽 Mexico - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +2 -3 - 4pt
4. 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia - P3 - W1 D0 L2 - +3 -5 - 3pt

Spoiler

22/11/2022 - Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia
22/11/2022 - Mexico 0-0 Poland
26/11/2022 - Poland 2-0 Saudi Arabia
26/11/2022 - Argentina 2-0 Mexico
30/11/2022 - Poland 0-2 Argentina
30/11/2022 - Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico

Group D
1. 🇫🇷 France - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +6 -3 - 6pt
2. 🇦🇺 Australia - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +3 -4 - 6pt
3. 🇹🇳 Tunisia - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +1 -1 - 4pt
4. 🇩🇰 Denmark - P3 - W0 D1 L2 - +1 -3 - 1pt

Spoiler

22/11/2022 - Denmark 0-0 Tunisia
22/11/2022 - France 4-1 Australia
26/11/2022 - Tunisia 0-1 Australia
26/11/2022 - France 2-1 Denmark
30/11/2022 - Australia 1-0 Denmark
30/11/2022 - Tunisia 1-0 France

Group E
1. 🇯🇵 Japan - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +4 -3 - 6pt
2. 🇪🇸 Spain - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +9 -3 - 4pt
3. 🇩🇪 Germany - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +6 -5 - 3pt
4. 🇨🇷 Costa Rica - P3 - W1 D0 L2 - +3 -11 - 3pt

Spoiler

23/11/2022 - Germany 1-2 Japan
23/11/2022 - Spain 7-0 Costa Rica
27/11/2022 - Japan 0-1 Costa Rica
27/11/2022 - Spain 1-1 Germany
01/12/2022 - Germany 4-2 Costa Rica
01/12/2022 - Japan - Spain

Group F
1. 🇲🇦 Morocco - P3 - W2 D1 L0 - +4 -1 - 7pt
2. 🇭🇷 Croatia - P3 - W1 D2 L0 - +4 -1 - 5pt
3. 🇧🇪 Belgium- P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +1 -2 - 4pt
4. 🇨🇦 Canada - P3 - W0 D0 L3 - +2 -7 - 0pt

Spoiler

23/11/2022 - Morocco 0-0 Croatia
23/11/2022 - Belgium 1-0 Canada
27/11/2022 - Belgium 0-2 Morocco
27/11/2022 - Croatia 4-1 Canada
01/12/2022 - Canada 1-2 Morocco
01/12/2022 - Croatia 0-0 Belgium

Group G
1. 🇧🇷 Brazil - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +3 -1 - 6pt
2. 🇨🇭 Switzerland - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +4 -3 - 6pt
3. 🇨🇲 Cameroon - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +4 -4 - 4pt
4. 🇷🇸 Serbia - P3 - W0 D1 L2 - +5 -8 - 1pt

Spoiler

24/11/2022 - Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon
24/11/2022 - Brazil 2-0 Serbia
28/11/2022 - Cameroon 3-3 Serbia
28/11/2022 - Brazil 1-0 Switzerland
02/12/2022 - Cameroon 1-0 Brazil
02/12/2022 - Serbia 2-3 Switzerland

Group H
1. 🇵🇹 Portugal - P3 - W2 D0 L1 - +6 -4 - 6pt
2. 🇰🇷 South Korea - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +4 -4 - 4pt
3. 🇺🇾 Uruguay - P3 - W1 D1 L1 - +2 -2 - 4pt
4. 🇬🇭 Ghana - P3 - W1 D0 L2 - +5 -7 - 3pt

Spoiler

24/11/2022 - Uruguay 0-0 South Korea
24/11/2022 - Portugal 3-2 Ghana
28/11/2022 - South Korea 2-3 Ghana
28/11/2022 - Portugal 2-0 Uruguay
02/12/2022 - Ghana 0-2 Uruguay
02/12/2022 - South Korea 2-1 Portugal

 

[Famine]

Knockout Stage:

Round 2
03/12/2022 - 1 - 🇳🇱 Netherlands 3-1 🇺🇲 United States
03/12/2022 - 2 - 🇦🇷 Argentina 2-1 🇦🇺 Australia
04/12/2022 - 3 -

England 3-0 🇸🇳 Senegal
04/12/2022 - 4 - 🇫🇷 France 3-1 🇵🇱 Poland
05/12/2022 - 5 - 🇯🇵 Japan 1-1 🇭🇷 Croatia (After Extra Time - FT 1-1; Croatia win 3-1 on penalties)
05/12/2022 - 6 - 🇧🇷 Brazil 4-1 🇰🇷 South Korea
06/12/2022 - 7 - 🇲🇦 Morocco 0-0 🇪🇸 Spain (After Extra Time - FT 0-0; Morocco win 3-0 on penalties)
06/12/2022 - 8 - 🇵🇹 Portugal 6-1 🇨🇭 Switzerland

Quarter-Finals
09/12/2022 - 🇳🇱 Netherlands 2-2 🇦🇷 Argentina (After Extra Time - FT 2-2; Argentina win 4-3 on penalties)
09/12/2022 - 🇭🇷 Croatia 1-1 🇧🇷 Brazil (After Extra Time - FT 0-0; Croatia win 4-2 on penalties)
10/12/2022 -

England 1-2 🇫🇷 France
10/12/2022 - 🇲🇦 Morocco 1-0 🇵🇹 Portugal

Semi-Finals
13/12/2022 - 🇦🇷 Argentina 3-0 🇭🇷 Croatia
14/12/2022 - 🇫🇷 France 2-0 🇲🇦 Morocco

Third Place Playoff
17/12/2022 - 🇭🇷 Croatia 2-1 🇲🇦 Morocco

Final
18/12/2022 - 🇦🇷 Argentina 3-3 🇫🇷 France (After Extra Time - FT 2-2; Argentina win 4-2 on penalties)

Top scorers
8 - Kylian Mbappe (France)
7 - Lionel Messi (Argentina)

 

[Famine]

Draw

Here's the pots for the draw:

Pot 1
Qatar (51)
Brazil (1)
Belgium (2)
France (3)
Argentina (4)
England (5)
Spain (7)
Portugal (8)

Pot 2
Mexico (9)
Netherlands (10)
Denmark (11)
Germany (12)
Uruguay (13)
Switzerland (14)
USA (15)
Croatia (16)

Pot 3
Senegal (20)
Iran (21)
Japan (23)
Morocco (24)
Serbia (25)
Poland (26)
South Korea (29)
Tunisia (35)

Pot 4
Cameroon (37)
Canada (38)
Ecuador (46)
Saudi Arabia (49)
Ghana (60)
IC Playoff 1 (UAE/Australia or Peru)
IC Playoff 2 (Costa Rica or New Zealand)
UEFA Playoff (Wales or Scotland/Ukraine)


As usual, the draw rules state that no two countries from the same Confederation can be drawn into the same Group other than UEFA. No more than two teams from UEFA may be drawn into any one Group (and at least one must be drawn in each Group)...

This might actually cause issues later, as three berths are not yet known and may require jiggling - for example Peru cannoy be drawn into a group with Brazil, but UAE/Australia can.

The lowest-ranked Group possible would be: Qatar, Croatia, Tunisia, New Zealand
The highest-ranked Group possible would be: Brazil, Mexico, Senegal, Wales

 

[Famine]

Oooooof, Spain and Germany in Group E - already looking like the Group of Death... although Argentina & Mexico is about as deathly...

Edit: Uruguay drawn for Brazil, so they have to be reallocated to Portugal 😬

Edit: England and USA in a group with Iran! Just after we've given them a ton of money to get Nazanin back.

Edit: Serbia drawn in Group D, but can't play in D, E, or F due to two UEFA teams there already... they go against Brazil!

Edit: Eeesh, IC Playoff 1 comes out in Group A, but the teams in it can't play Qatar (A), Iran (B), or Argentina (C), so they're in Group D...

Edit: Yowch, if Wales or Scotland come through in the three-way tie, they're in Group B with England!

Edit: Ghana/Cameroon can't be in F, so that's Canada. Cameroon comes out in G and Ghana then comes out and has to go in H.

 

[PeterJB]

Yeah Japan ain't making the knockout stage this time...

 

[PeterJB]

I think it's safe to say we have the spiciest group, geopolitically speaking...

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Is there a group of death there?, I don't think there is....

 

[Blitz24]

I think it's safe to say we have the spiciest group, geopolitically speaking...

If Ukraine makes it... I mean, Russia would be mad,

 

[Jezza819]

Canada looks like they have a tough draw.

 

[O604]

Canada looks like they have a tough draw.

Better than Mexico I think. But US got the best draw out of CONCACAF.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Group B is going to be geopolitically interesting, especially if Ukraine ends up making it in!

 

[Touring Mars]

Scotland, Wales or Ukraine with England, USA and Iran... wow. My money is on Ukraine, but if they can't make it, Wales will probably beat Scotland in the playoff final.

 

[O604]

Boo!

 

[Jezza819]

Better than Mexico I think. But US got the best draw out of CONCACAF.

I don't know if we can beat any of the three in the playoff. Only hope for a win might be from Iran and that would need better form than we've showed the last few months.

 

[Famine]

Boo!

Is that mascot meant to signify Qatar's ability to kill "migrant" workers by the thousand and leave them haunting the stadia they died while constructing?


Also I've just checked and if England and Croatia win their groups (B and F), and France and Belgium come second in their groups (D and F) we could have identical semi-finals...

 

[dacc10]

Is there a group of death there?, I don't think there is....

On paper, Group H is the thoughest one. On paper, Portugal is the best team in that group, but no telling how we will play later in the year, and how good or bad the rest will be.

Although I'd say the last 4 groups, can possibly be fairly balanced.

 

[Famine]

Wales beat Ukraine 1-0 to qualify into Group B... with the USA, Iran, and... England!

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Ukraine argubly the better team but met a very resilient Wales team who played with grit and determination, it was a Yarmolenko own goal from a Bale free kick for the goal, Ukraine had a few chances to equalize but Hennessey made some great saves.

Wales qualify for their first World Cup in 64 years, very proud of the boys!

 

[Liquid]

I had tears in my eyes at the final whistle. I honestly can't believe we've done it. I grew up and even spent my early 20s resigned to the fact that Wales don't go to tournaments. This being our third in eight years is extraordinarily special.

If you are from a footballing big boy country, I can't really explain to you what it means.

Edit: I only wanted us to qualify. I still hate that the World Cup is in Qatar. We have proven we are good enough to be at the World Cup, I lament that it is this World Cup.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

If the World Cup took place this Summer then it would've started today.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Australia have qualified for Qatar after beating Peru 5-4 on penalties in their play off, Keeper Andrew Redmayne was the hero when he came on for the shootout for Mat Ryan and danced on the goal line for every Peru penalty and saved Alex Valera's kick.

Its the Aussies fifth World Cup in a row having qualified for every tournament since 2006. They will be in Group D with France, Denmark and Tunisia.

The final team will be decided on Tuesday when Costa Rica take on New Zealand.

 

[Touring Mars]

Qatar World Cup: Accommodation worries for football fans

Organisers of the football tournament are facing criticism over a lack of affordable accommodation.

www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands of spectators who have already booked tickets for the World Cup finals in Qatar are finding it rather hard to find accommodation. The World Cup is expected to attract up to 1 million visitors, but as of March 2022, there were only 30,000 hotel rooms in Qatar, and 80% of them are booked by Fifa for football teams, officials, and sponsors already.

With just two months to go until the tournament kicks off, some England fans still have no accommodation booked, and others are struggling to find affordable accommodation for the whole tournament:

-

In other news, a close friend of mine has decided that he will not watch any of the Qatar 2022 World Cup finals

 

[daan]

 

[Dennisch]

Or, companies could actually do the right thing and boycott this ******** parade.

 

[Blitz24]

Or, companies could actually do the right thing and boycott this ******** parade.

But money!

 

[MUSC4EVER]

The executive committee of the Ukraine FA have appealed to FIFA to ban Iran from the World Cup, Ukraine say that Iran is suppling weapons to Russia during the conflict there.

20 days until the World Cup starts.

 

[AEKara38]

The executive committee of the Ukraine FA have appealed to FIFA to ban Iran from the World Cup, Ukraine say that Iran is suppling weapons to Russia during the conflict there.

20 days until the World Cup starts.

If they do England might qualify from the group phase. The USA are in our group again.....

 

[Jezza819]

Now Qatar is paying for fans plane trips and hotel stays in exchange for positive comments on social media and to report back to government officials any bad posts they see from other fans. What an absolute farce this thing is going to be.

Get paid for positive World Cup chat, says Qatar

The organisers of the World Cup in Qatar are paying groups of fans to travel to the tournament in exchange for positive comments on social media.

www.espn.com

 

[Famine]

Now Qatar is paying for fans plane trips and hotel stays in exchange for positive comments on social media and to report back to government officials any bad posts they see from other fans. What an absolute farce this thing is going to be.

Get paid for positive World Cup chat, says Qatar

The organisers of the World Cup in Qatar are paying groups of fans to travel to the tournament in exchange for positive comments on social media.

www.espn.com

Heh. They couldn't pay me enough to even watch it on TV in exchange for positive comments about their legalised sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and slavery.