With the 2022 World Cup draw complete, the only teams left to decide are the three remaining playoff paths yet to be completed.
Two of them are the intercontinental playoffs between various continental qualifying hopefuls.
The third will come from a delayed European playoff path which sees three teams still alive, with two to be eliminated and one to be left standing.
Two results from a competitive soccer perspective came from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: Russia was disqualified from UEFA World Cup qualifying, while the Ukraine’s participation was postponed. The postponement of Path A where Ukraine was placed came after the Ukrainian FA petitioned UEFA and FIFA with a request to postpone the matches.
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UEFA, along with the support of Ukraine’s opponent Scotland, worked to postpone the fixtures and reschedule the matches to allow for the hostilities to end and ease the burden on the Ukraine FA. Many members of Ukraine’s national team play in the Ukrainian league, which is paused as a result of the war.
“Football is inconsequential amid conflict, but we have conveyed the strong sense of solidarity communicated to us by Scotland fans and citizens in recent days,” read a statement from the Scottish FA in light of Ukraine’s request to postpone. “The Scotland Men’s and Women’s National Teams stand in solidarity with our fellow participants from Ukraine’s football community.
“A match, no matter how significant on the pitch, feels unimportant right now, but we intend to express our friendship and unity when we face each other next month. In the meantime we pray for your wellbeing and the safety of all those people needlessly suffering. Until we meet, we send our love.”
WORLD CUP DRAW BREAKDOWNS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D
Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H
European playoffs schedule
Ukraine’s request was ultimately granted by UEFA, and the necessary matches have been postponed until a to-be-determined date in June following the conclusion of most European club seasons.
The semifinal between Wales and Austria went on as scheduled, which saw Wales progress past Austria on the back of two Gareth Bale goals.
Semifinals
| Date | Team 1 | Team 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar. 24, 2022 | Wales 2 | vs. | Austria 1 |
| TBD (June) | Scotland | vs. | Ukraine |
Finals
| Date | Team 1 | Team 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (June) | Wales | vs. | Scotland or Ukraine |
How UEFA World Cup qualifying playoffs work
The format for UEFA World Cup qualifying in the 2022 cycle is quite different from UEFA qualifying in the past.
With the rise of the UEFA Nations League, the European governing body instituted a new World Cup qualifying format that would value Nations League performance and also increase the level of excitement.
After a group stage consisting of all 55 European member nations, the 10 group winners qualified automatically for the World Cup. There are still 3 UEFA World Cup spots left, however, and a playoff would decide who earns those spots.
In the past, UEFA playoffs consisted of two-legged matchups drawn at random, with the winners advancing directly to the World Cup. In the 2022 cycle, UEFA brought 12 teams into the playoff — 10 group stage second-place finishers plus two qualifiers from UEFA Nations League play — and split them up into three four-team mini-brackets — or “paths” — with the winner of each path reaching the World Cup.
The other two paths have been contested to conclusion, with Poland (who advanced past the semifinals thanks to Russia’s disqualification) and Portugal securing the other two positions. Italy, shockingly, was eliminated in the Path C semifinal with a stunning loss to North Macedonia.
MORE WORLD CUP 2022:
Full draw results | TV schedule | Latest news
2022 World Cup Group B draw
The winner of UEFA playoff Path A will enter the 2022 World Cup into Group B, as drawn during the ceremony on April 1. Also in the group are England, the United States, and Iran.
If 18th ranked Wales is the team to progress, it would mean that all four group participants would be ranked inside the top 21 of the FIFA world rankings (England is 5th, USA is 15th, Iran is 21st). Meanwhile, Ukraine is ranked 27 and Scotland is ranked 39.
MORE: Full 2022 FIFA World Cup match schedule
Group B draw
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1: England | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B2: Iran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B3: United States | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B4: Scotland/Wales/Ukraine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group B match schedule
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 21 | England vs. Iran | TBD | TBD |
| Mon, Nov. 21 | United States vs. Scotland/Wales/Ukraine | TBD | TBD |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | England vs. United States | TBD | TBD |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | Scotland/Wales/Ukraine vs. Iran | TBD | TBD |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Scotland/Wales/Ukraine vs. England | TBD | TBD |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Iran vs. United States | TBD | TBD |
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