2022 World Cup Draw: These are the eight groups in Qatar
32 teams divided into eight groups will participate in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. We review each group, look at the favorites, compare the odds, and analyze the draw for the 2022 World Cup. We also reveal the best bookies to bet on the World Cup.
Predictions and odds for the World Cup group stage
- These are the groups at the 2022 World Cup
- World Cup Group A
- World Cup Group B
- World Cup Group C
- World Cup Group D
- World Cup Group E
- World Cup Group F
- World Cup Group G
- World Cup Group H
- FAQ – frequently asked questions and answers
Best bookmaker for betting on the World Cup groups
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Bet365 Review Sign up with Bet365 and get 100 €/$/£ BonusThese are the 8 groups at the 2022 World Cup
World Cup Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
World Cup Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales
World Cup Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
World Cup Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia
World Cup Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
World Cup Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
World Cup Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
World Cup Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
You can click on one of the groups to get detailed information and analysis or click on a country to see all the facts and the best betting tips for the 2022 World Cup.
World Cup Group A
In Group A, hosts Qatar will face Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 20 | 7 p.m. | A | al-Bayt | Qatar – Ecuador | |
| Nov. 21 | 7 p.m. | A | al-Thumama | Senegal – Netherlands | |
| Nov. 25 | 4 p.m. | A | al-Thumama | Qatar – Senegal | |
| Nov. 25 | 7 p.m. | A | Khalifa International | Netherlands – Ecuador | |
| Nov. 29 | 6 p.m. | A | al-Bayt | Netherlands – Qatar | |
| Nov. 29 | 6 p.m. | A | Khalifa International | Ecuador – Senegal |
Kick-off times on schedules are stated as local time in Qatar. Please check following table to translate kick-off times to your time-zone:
| Qatar (local time) | USA & Canada (ET) | UK (GMT) | Europe (CET) | Australia (AEDT) | India (IST) |
| 1 p.m. | 5 a.m. | 10 a.m. | 11:00 | 9 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. |
| 4 p.m. | 8 a.m. | 1 p.m. | 14:00 | 12 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. |
| 6 p.m. | 10 a.m. | 3 p.m. | 16:00 | 2 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| 7 p.m. | 11 a.m. | 4 p.m. | 17:00 | 3 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. |
| 10 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 7 p.m. | 20:00 | 6 p.m. | 12:30 a.m. |
The Dutch, coached by Louis van Gaal, are clear favorites in this group, but Senegal, the reigning Africa Cup winners, should not be underestimated. Ecuador also shows up in Qatar with some interesting players, but is ranked behind Senegal by most sports betting sites. Despite the home advantage, Qatar remains the underdog in this group.
Group A and Group F are the only two groups without a former world champion participating.
 |  |  | |
| ➜ visit bookmaker | ➜ visit bookmaker | ➜ visit bookmaker | |
| Netherlands | 1.44 | 1.52 | 1.44 |
| Senegal | 5.00 | 5.50 | 5.20 |
| Ecuador | 7.00 | 6.50 | 6.95 |
| Qatar | 15.0 | 15.0 | 14.7 |
Netherlands to win group A ➜ best odds 1.52 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group A winners
World Cup Group B
Group B will feature England, Iran, the United States of America and Wales.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 21 | 4 p.m. | B | Khalifa International | England – Iran | |
| Nov. 21 | 10 p.m. | B | Ahmed bin Ali | USA – Wales | |
| Nov. 25 | 1 p.m. | B | Ahmed bin Ali | Wales – Iran | |
| Nov. 25 | 10 p.m. | B | al-Bayt | England – USA | |
| Nov. 29 | 10 p.m. | B | al-Thumama | Iran – USA | |
| Nov. 29 | 10 p.m. | B | Ahmed bin Ali | Wales – England |
Obviously, England is the clear group favorite and also one of the biggest title contenders in this tournament. In addition, the English women have already set the bar high for their male colleagues by winning the European Women’s Championship in their own country in July.
The U.S. and Wales could battle it out for 2nd and 3rd place, though Wales is undergoing a rebuild and the U.S. comes to the World Cup with some promising top talents. Iran will enter this group as an underdog in most betting strategies.
England to win group B ➜ best odds 1.42 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group B winners
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Bet-at-home Review Join Bet-at-home and claim your €100 Bonus nowWorld Cup Group C
Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland will meet in Group C.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 22 | 1 p.m. | C | Lusail | Argentina – Saudi Arabia | |
| Nov. 22 | 7 p.m. | C | Stadium 974 | Mexico – Poland | |
| Nov. 26 | 4 p.m. | C | Education City | Poland – Saudi Arabia | |
| Nov. 26 | 10 p.m. | C | Lusail | Argentina – Mexico | |
| Nov. 30 | 10 p.m. | C | Lusail | Saudi Arabia – Mexico | |
| Nov. 30 | 10 p.m. | C | Stadium 974 | Poland – Argentina |
The Argentines are favored to win Group C in the last World Cup for their hero and superstar Lionel Messi. However, coach Lionel Scaloni does not have a particularly well-balanced squad and could run into problems, especially on defense.
Mexico and Poland are also candidates for promotion, with the Mexicans still having to hope for the recovery of some top players and Poland pinning all its hopes on star striker Robert Lewandowski. Saudi Arabia, who like Qatar are traveling to the World Cup without foreign players, are clear underdogs in Group C.
| | | |
| Argentina | 1.40 | 1.45 | 1.40 |
| Poland | 5.50 | 6.00 | 5.55 |
| Mexico | 6.00 | 5.70 | 5.85 |
| Saudi Arabia | 21.0 | 35.0 | 22.1 |
Argentina to win group C ➜ best odds 1.45 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group C winners
World Cup Group D
Group D features France, Australia, Denmark and Tunisia.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 22 | 4 p.m. | D | Education City | Denmark – Tunisia | |
| Nov. 22 | 10 p.m. | D | al-Janoub | France – Australia | |
| Nov. 26 | 1 p.m. | D | al-Janoub | Tunisia – Australia | |
| Nov. 26 | 7 p.m. | D | Stadium 974 | France – Denmark | |
| Nov. 30 | 6 p.m. | D | Education City | Tunisia – France | |
| Nov. 30 | 6 p.m. | D | al-Janoub | Australia – Denmark |
The defending champions France are coming to Qatar with probably the most impressive squad alongside Brazil and England. Long-time French coach Didier Deschamps aims to pull off a sensation and lead his team to their first title defense since 1962. The bookmakers definitely think that defending the title is possible, given the low odds. In any case, the French are the big favorites in Group D.
Denmark comes to Qatar with a number of key players in their prime and, along with France, is the other obvious candidate for a spot in the round of 16. Australia and Tunisia are only underdogs and therefore have high odds for winning the group or reaching the round of 16.
Denmark to win group D ➜ best odds 3.80 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group D winners
World Cup Group E
Spain, Costa Rica, Germany and Japan will battle for points in Group E.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 23 | 4 p.m. | E | Khalifa International | Gerrmany – Japan | |
| Nov. 23 | 7 p.m. | E | al-Thumama | Spain – Costa Rica | |
| Nov. 27 | 1 p.m. | E | Ahmed bin Ali | Japan – Costa Rica | |
| Nov. 27 | 10 p.m. | E | al-Bayt | Spain – Germany | |
| Dec. 1 | 10 p.m. | E | al-Bayt | Costa Rica – Germany | |
| Dec. 1 | 10 p.m. | E | Khalifa International | Japan – Spain |
The situation in Group E is straightforward: Spain and Germany are the big favorites to win the group, while Costa Rica and Japan are the glaring underdogs.
However, both Costa Rica and Japan have shown their worth at previous major events and should not be underestimated. Especially since the two underdogs have nothing to lose against the giants Spain and Germany, an exciting group with unpredictable results could develop here. Germany can tell you a thing or two about this scenario in the wake of the 2018 World Cup.
| | | |
| Spain | 1.83 | 1.95 | 1.85 |
| Germany | 2.10 | 2.15 | 2.10 |
| Japan | 15.0 | 15.0 | 14.0 |
| Costa Rica | 51.0 | 55.0 | 46.0 |
Germany to win group E ➜ best odds 2.15 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group E winners
World Cup Group F
In Group F, Belgium will face Canada, Morocco and Croatia.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 23 | 1 p.m. | F | al-Bayt | Morocco – Croatia | |
| Nov. 23 | 10 p.m. | F | Ahmed bin Ali | Belgium – Canada | |
| Nov. 27 | 4 p.m. | F | al-Thumama | Belgium – Morocco | |
| Nov. 27 | 7 p.m. | F | Khalifa International | Croatia – Canada | |
| Dec. 1 | 6 p.m. | F | al-Thumama | Canada – Morocco | |
| Dec. 1 | 6 p.m. | F | Ahmed bin Ali | Croatia – Belgium |
Although Croatia will come to the 2022 World Cup as runners-up, the “Red Devils” from Belgium are favorites to win the group. In recent times, Belgium have mostly been regarded as one of the title contenders, and finished third in the 2018 Russian World Cup.
Croatia could face a tougher tournament than in 2018, when they were able to call on their “golden generation” in their prime form. Canada has some top players like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David in its ranks, but hardly any experience at major tournaments. Morocco is a regular at World Cups, but advancing to the round of 16 would be a surprise.
Croatia to win group F ➜ best odds 3.60 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group F winners
World Cup Group G
In Group G, Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon will face each other.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 24 | 1 p.m. | G | al-Janoub | Switzerland – Cameroon | |
| Nov. 24 | 10 p.m. | G | Lusail | Brazil – Serbia | |
| Nov. 28 | 1 p.m. | G | al-Janoub | Cameroon – Serbia | |
| Nov. 28 | 7 p.m. | G | Stadium 974 | Brazil – Switzerland | |
| Dec. 2 | 10 p.m. | G | Stadium 974 | Serbia – Schwitzerland | |
| Dec. 2 | 10 p.m. | G | Lusail | Cameroon – Brazil |
In a mostly balanced group, Brazil is the huge favorite to finish on top. Every major bookmaker is giving the Selecao the lowest odds to finish first in Group G. Coach Tite’s team is also the top favorite to win the tournament. Besides stars like Neymar and Vinicius Jr, Brazil also is blessed with very strong defenders.
Serbia’s coach Dragan Stojkovic can call on a number of aspiring world-class players, while the Swiss are more likely to be successful thanks to a strong team effort. Unlike in past tournaments, Cameroon are underdogs this time and are in a state of transition after difficult years.
| | | |
| Brazil | 1.36 | 1.40 | 1.37 |
| Switzerland | 5.50 | 6.00 | 5.75 |
| Serbia | 7.00 | 7.00 | 6.90 |
| Cameroon | 21.0 | 20.0 | 17.1 |
Brazil to win group G ➜ best odds 1.40 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group G winners
World Cup Group H
In Group H, Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea will play for advancement to the round of 16.
| Date | Time (local) | Group | Stadium | Match | Result |
| Nov. 24 | 4 p.m. | H | Education City | Uruguay – South Korea | |
| Nov. 24 | 7 p.m. | H | Stadium 974 | Portugal – Ghana | |
| Nov. 28 | 4 p.m. | H | Education City | South Korea – Ghana | |
| Nov. 28 | 10 p.m. | H | Lusail | Portugal – Uruguay | |
| Dec. 2 | 6 p.m. | H | al-Janoub | Ghana – Uruguay | |
| Dec. 2 | 6 p.m. | H | Education City | South Korea – Portugal |
In Group H, several famous soccer players may be taking part in a World Cup for the last time. Portugal’s 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, and Uruguay’s experienced trio consisting of Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani and Diego Godín. The favorites to win the group, however, are clearly the Portuguese with their star “CR7”.
Ghana and South Korea, however, should not be underestimated because of their numerous top-class foreign players. Group H thus looks very balanced at first glance and offers the potential for some real surprises.
| | | |
| Portugal | 1.61 | 1.70 | 1.63 |
| Uruguay | 3.00 | 3.20 | 3.00 |
| Ghana | 17.0 | 13.0 | 14.2 |
| South Korea | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 |
Uruguay to win group H ➜ best odds 3.20 @ 22Bet
Overlyzer Betting Pick for group H winners
FAQ – Frequently asked questions and answers
On November 20th, 2022, the group stage will kick off with the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador, and will end on December 2nd, 2022, with the last two fixtures from Group G. Six matches will be played in each group, meaning there will be 48 games to play in the entire group stage.
Immediately after the end of the group phase – as early as December 3, 2022 – the round of 16 matches will begin. The winner of each group will meet the runner-up of the “neighboring” group. The group winner from Group A will therefore play the runner-up from Group B, and the winner in Group B will meet the runner-up from Group A. The same applies to groups C and D, E and F, and G and H.
The first two rounds start at 01:00 pm, 04.00 pm, 07:00 pm and 10.00 pm local time. Accordingly, in the UK the games start at 10.00 am, 01:00 pm, 04.00 pm and 07.00 pm. The fixtures on the last day of the group stage will take place at 06:00 pm local time, i.e. at 03:00 pm UK time.
England will meet the USA, Iran and Wales. The Three Lions are the group favorites and are also traded as title contenders by the bookmakers.
The biggest shock at the last World Cup in Russia in 2018 was Germany’s last-place finish in Group F. Although they defeated Sweden, they lost to Mexico and South Korea and were eliminated. In addition, Senegal and Poland failed to overcome Colombia and Japan in their group. The vast majority of favorites, however, mastered their task in the group stage with ease.
Russia was excluded from the tournament by FIFA because of the war against Ukraine. Ukraine, in turn, failed to qualify. But the fact that Italy was eliminated by North Macedonia was by far the biggest shock. It is also worth mentioning that with Norway, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Austria and Turkey some other quite good nations are missing. In Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria would also have expected to qualify for the World Cup, and the fact that the two South American teams Colombia and Chile are not participating is also a surprise.