The talk, arguments and arrangements seem to have been going on forever, but the 2022 Qatar World cup is almost upon us. The world’s greatest sporting tournament is only a little over two months away. The competing nation’s managers will have a good idea of their final squads, bookmakers will have their football offers all ready, and football fans around the world are planning their work schedules around the games.

If you are in doubt about anything regarding the 22nd installment of the FIFA World Cup, who has qualified, when and where it is being played, and which side is likely to win, then we have everything you need right here.

When is the World Cup?

For the first time in the tournament’s rich history, the World Cup is being played in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter. It all kicks off on Sunday 20th November, when Qatar take on Ecuador in not just the first game of the tournament but in the host nation’s first ever World Cup match. The group games are then played every day until Friday the 2nd December.

The round of 16 matches take place every day between Saturday the 3rd and Tuesday the 6th of December; the quarter-finals on Friday the 9th and Saturday the 10th; the semi-finals on Tuesday the 13th and Wednesday the 14th; the third vs fourth playoff on Saturday the 17th and, to close the show, the final is on Sunday the 18th of December.

Where is the 2022 World Cup being played?

Held in Qatar, the 65 matches will take place in eight stunning, purpose-built stadiums. Whereas in previous tournaments a certain degree of traveling is required by both teams and supporters, that is not the case this time, with all the venues being located in or not too far from Doha.

Who has qualified?

32 teams have qualified, drawn from all of the world’s governing federations. Those teams, put into four different pots in order of their seeding, were then drawn into eight groups of four. Those groups are:

Group A

Qatar, Senegal, Ecuador, The Netherlands

Group B

England, Iran, Wales, USA 

Group C

Argentina, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Poland

Group D

France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia

Group E

Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan

Group F

Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

Group G

Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Group H

Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

What are the African Nations’ Chances?

The 2018 World Cup in Russia was nothing short of a disaster for the African continent. Egypt lost all three of their matches; Morocco managed one draw; Nigeria beat Iceland but defeat in the other two games saw them fail to get out of the group; and Tunisia won one and lost two giving them a third-place finish.

Although Senegal looked like they would fly the flag into the latter stages for the African nations after a very impressive 2–0 win against a Poland side that included Robert Lewandowski, one of the greatest strikers to play the game, they followed that win with a 2-2 draw against Japan, then came up short by one single goal against group winners Columbia. This meant Senegal, despite showing impressive form, missed out to Japan due to fair play points.

The first step for the five qualified nations this time (Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon and Ghana) is to get out of the group, and then see where the tournament takes them. For African football, that is the minimum requirement.

Senegal would appear to have the best chance once again, and it looks like they will be battling it out with Ecuador for second spot, and will fancy their chances of edging out the South Americans. That match, which could very well decide the fate of the Lions of Teranga, takes place on Tuesday the November 29th.

Tunisia will have their work cut out, with reigning champions France and number 10 ranked side Denmark in their group, along with Australia. The same can be said for Morocco, who come up against number 2 ranked side Belgium and runners-up in Russia, Croatia.

Cameroon are in Group G, the nearest there is in this tournament to the notorious “group of death.” All three of Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland will have ambitions of not just getting out of the group, but of getting into the later stages of the competition, with Brazil the favorites to win the whole thing.

Finally, Ghana will be quietly confident they could cause an upset and get the better of two matches against Christian Ronaldo’s Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.

Who will win the Qatar World Cup?

As already mentioned, Brazil go into the tournament as favorites to lift it for a record six times, and the list of players they have, particularly offensively, means it is hard to think they will not be there or thereabouts. They were disappointing in Russia, however, and have not made it beyond the quarter-finals since they won it in Japan and South Korea in 2002.

Fellow South Americans and great rivals Argentina are on a terrific run of form and will be confident of continuing that record-breaking winning streak deep into the tournament. It would be no better way for Messi to bow out from international football.

England will be hoping to go one further than their semi-final defeat at the hands of Croatia in Russia, and indeed their loss on penalties to Italy at Wembley in the Euros final last summer. Gareth Southgate has a young team, but they are experienced in tournament football, and the side seems to be playing without the fear that has hampered them in previous tournaments.

France are the trophy holders and have kept much the same side which was so dominant in Russia four years ago. It’s always hard to write off Germany when it comes to major tournaments. And this surely is the last throw of the dice for a Belgium side that has sat atop the world ranking for years without backing it up with performances in the major tournaments.  

It’s anyone’s World Cups – but Brazil, Argentina, England, and Germany are all in with a decent shot.