World Cup group stage draw lowdown: Seeds, key dates and potential matches

With some of football’s heavyweight nations set to feature at the World Cup in Qatar later this year, excitement for the showpiece is building quickly. Once again, billions from around the world will tune in to take in football’s most extravagant spectacle.

Very soon, the hard work of all of the countries involved in qualifying will be rewarded as they discover who they will be facing at the tournament. In just a matter of weeks, the identities of all of the teams taking part will have been revealed.

However, before the competition can begin, the nations will have to be placed into their groups. There will be thrills, spills, twists and turns – the usual exciting package for a World Cup – and this year’s edition, despite its later start, will be no different.

So, with the group stage draw coming up this week, Sportsmail has compiled this handy comprehensive guide with everything you will need to know… 

WHO HAS QUALIFIED SO FAR?  

First of all, it would be a good idea to take a look at the teams who have already sealed their spot in Qatar. As hosts, Qatar have received automatic qualification.

Germany, the four-time World Cup winners, guaranteed their place first through the usual qualification route, while fellow giants Brazil – who have won the tournament on no less than five occasions – also qualified with next-to-no bother.

England, still searching for a first trophy since 1966, guaranteed their entry back in November by finishing top of their own qualifying group. 

In South America, Uruguay and Ecuador have also qualified for the finals. They moved along with Brazil and Argentina, the automatic qualifiers. 

The fate of Mexico and the United States is still uncertain, however, despite their recent victories. Costa Rica are in contention, too.

Canada, though, have reached Qatar for only the second time, after they dispatched Jamaica 4-0 to bring an end to 36 years of absence. 

WHO ARE WE STILL WAITING FOR?

With 27 teams having already sealed their spot, that leaves five places left for countries to battle it out for.

One of those will go to a European nation, with the war in Ukraine slowing down the play-off process for UEFA. While Poland and Portugal won their matches this week to seal their spot, Wales are waiting to see whether they’ll face Scotland or Ukraine for a spot in Qatar. That game is likely to go ahead in June and will complete the line-up.

CONCACAF’s qualification process is also very close to completion, but Canada are currently the only side assured of their spot. Below them, the USA and Mexico are very likely to be in Qatar too, as they hold a three-point lead over Costa Rica in fourth, but there is a slim chance of that changing.

Overnight on Wednesday into Thursday, Costa Rica face the USA and they need to win and overturn a 10-goal difference, while Mexico will be assured of their spot if they can get a point against El Salvador, or if they lose and Costa Rica fail to beat the USA by less than three goals.

Assuming no completely bizarre goals occur, the US and Mexico will head to Qatar, leaving Costa Rica to play in an inter-confederation play-off.

Their game will be against the winner of the OFC Final, with the Solomon Islands set to face off against New Zealand in Doha on Wednesday to see who makes it to the final step of the qualification process.

The winner of that match will head to Qatar, leaving us with one final spot not accounted for of the 32 teams.

In CONMEBOL, Peru finished fifth, just shy of the automatic places but still enough to book them a play-off spot, and they will face an AFC competitor – either Australia or the United Arab Emirates, who face each other on June 7. 

HOW DOES THE DRAW WORK? 

In simple terms, the 32 teams that qualify for the World Cup are divided into four pots, each of which is comprised of eight sides. 

Teams will then be picked out from each pot and placed into eight groups. Pot 1 will be drawn from first, followed by Pot 2, Pot 3 and finally Pot 4. 

There are also a number of requirements for the draw which must be followed. 

In total, there are four seeding categories which are based on the FIFA rankings which will be published this year on March 31. 

Pot 1, therefore, features hosts Qatar and the seven highest-ranked qualified teams.

The next pot is made up of the next eight highest-ranked qualifiers, while Pot 3 includes the next eight best-ranked qualified teams after Pot 2.

Pot 4 comprises the next five highest-ranked qualified teams, as well as placeholders for the two intercontinental play-off winners and last UEFA play-off winner. 

WHO WILL BE THE SEEDED NATIONS?  

Scotland and Wales will be with the lowest-ranked seeds for the tournament.

As explained above, the seeding for nations who have qualified by the time of the draw will be determined by the FIFA rankings due to be published on March 31.

England are currently ranked fifth in the world, with Belgium, Brazil, France and Argentina the only countries above them. Portugal will be seeded, too.

Theoretically, that means the Three Lions could be drawn in the same group as Germany – who are ranked 11th and in the pot of second seeds.

FIFA, meanwhile, revealed the three teams still fighting along the play-off path by the time of the draw will be treated as just one entrant.

They will be placed in Pot 4, along with the lowest-ranked nations.

WHO IS IN THE EUROPEAN QUALIFYING PLAY-OFFS? 

England may have wrapped up automatic qualification after topping their group, but a host of other countries have been forced to scrap through the play-offs.

From this route, three more teams will advance to the finals in Qatar. Portugal and Poland booked their places on Tuesday night. 

Scotland and Wales were among the sides who were forced to attempt to qualify for the tournament the long way round.

Intriguingly, Scotland and Wales have been placed on the same path, meaning that will face each other for a spot at the World Cup if Scotland progress past Ukraine.

That match is now set to take place in June.  

WHEN IS THE WORLD CUP DRAW? 

The draw for the 2022 World Cup group stage will take place on April 1, 2022.

The Doha Exhibition and Convention Center will play host to the glitz and the glamour, and the event is scheduled to begin at 7pm local time (5pm BST). 

By the end of the week, 28 of the 32 teams in Qatar will have been confirmed.  

Then, the final three spots will be decided by the intercontinental play-offs in June, while the final European play-off final was delayed due to the war in Ukraine. 

LATEST ON UKRAINE  

Poland received a bye to the final of their play-off route as a result of the Ukraine crisis, sparked by an invasion from Vladimir Putin’s forces.

The sporting world unified to condemn Russia for the country’s aggression, and they were quickly removed from the qualification process for the Qatar World Cup.

Wales will now wait until June to discover their fate in their play-off final, with Scotland’s fixture against Ukraine having been postponed until then.

WHEN DOES THE WORLD CUP START?   

The first group stage fixture later this year will be held on November 21. 

That game will feature hosts Qatar and another side from Group A, and will kick-off at 1pm local time (10am BST).

The tournament will run over one month, with the final scheduled for December 18 and with a 6pm local time kick-off (3pm BST). 

TOURNAMENT KEY DATES 

Group stage draw: April 1

Group stage: November 21 – December 2

Last-16 – December 3-6

Quarter-finals – December 9-10

Semi-finals – December 13-14

Final – December 18