2022 World Cup draw: qualified teams and confirmed pots

The pots have now been confirmed for Friday’s 2022 World Cup draw, which takes place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center at 12 noon ET/9am PT.

Pot 1: Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, England, France, Portugal, Qatar, Spain

Pot 2: Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Mexico, Switzerland, Uruguay, US

Pot 3: Iran, Japan, Morocco, Poland, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Tunisia

Pot 4: Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine/Scotland/Wales, Peru/Australia/UAE, Costa Rica/New Zealand

The eight four-nation groups in the World Cup group stage will be formed by one team each from Pots 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Follow FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 draw: live online | Pots, groups, schedule, fixtures.

How the 2022 World Cup pots were decided

The World Cup seedings were mostly decided by the latest pre-draw FIFA world rankings, which were published on Thursday. Hosts Qatar automatically go into Pot 1, where they are joined by the seven highest-ranked qualified teams. Pot 2 features the countries ranked eighth to 15th among the teams at the tournament, and the 16th to 23rd-highest ranked qualified nations are in Pot 3. Pot 4 comprises the 24th to 28th-best teams, plus the three countries yet to progress from the two inter-confederation play-offs and the rearranged UEFA play-off final.

Qualified teams: region-by-region breakdown

AFC (Asia)

Qualified: Qatar (hosts), Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

Can still qualify: Australia, United Arab Emirates

Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea claimed automatic World Cup spots after each finishing in the top two of their group in the third round of AFC qualifying. Third-placed teams Australia and the United Arab Emirates will meet in a fourth-round playoff on 7 June, with the winner progressing to an inter-confederation playoff with Peru. Whoever wins that tie, to be played on 13 or 14 June, will qualify.

CAF (Africa)

Qualified: Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia

Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia emerged from Africa’s five third-round qualifying playoffs, which were not short on drama. Most notably, the Cameroonians claimed their World Cup place at Algeria’s expense with a 124th-minute Toko Ekambi goal in the second leg.

CONCACAF (North America, Central America and the Caribbean)

Qualified: Canada, Mexico, US

Can still qualify: Costa Rica

Canada are through to their first World Cup since 1986 after topping CONCACAF’s third-round qualifying group. Mexico and the US claimed the region’s other two automatic qualification spots on Wednesday, while Costa Rica’s fourth-placed finish sends Los Ticos into an inter-confederation playoff against New Zealand on 13 or 14 June.

CONMEBOL (South America)

Qualified: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay

Can still qualify: Peru

Brazil won CONMEBOL’s qualifying group ahead of Argentina, with Ecuador and Uruguay clinching the region’s two remaining automatic berths. Fifth-placed Peru go into an inter-confederation playoff against Australia or the UAE.

OFC (Oceania)

Qualified: None

Can still qualify: New Zealand

New Zealand thumped the Solomon Islands 5-0 in final of the OFC’s rearranged, covid-affected qualifying tournament on Wednesday. That win in Doha means the All Whites will contest a World Cup berth with Costa Rica in an inter-confederation playoff, also held in Qatar, on 13 or 14 June.

UEFA (Europe)

Qualified: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland

Can still qualify: Scotland, Ukraine, Wales

Twelve of Europe’s 13 World Cup spots have been filled. Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Spain and Switzerland all qualified automatically as winners of their groups. Poland and Portugal then progressed via the UEFA playoffs, and will be joined in Qatar by one of Scotland, Ukraine or Wales. The Welsh will face either Scotland or Ukraine in the remaining playoff final, which has been postponed to June because of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

2022 World Cup draw: live with AS USA

You’ll be able to follow live-text coverage of the 2022 World Cup draw with AS USA.