DOHA: The first major corner in Qatar’s 12- time trip to host the FIFA World Cup has been reached. The shape of how the first jubilee of world football in the Arab world will be played when it kicks off in November has now been decided.
A far cry from the fiery FIFA Congress on Friday, where Qatar’s mortal rights record came under cutting review, Friday’s draw form was a festivity of the Gulf state’s history and future as the first World Cup of the Arab world draws ever closer.
At the sprawling Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre in the heart of the Qatari capital, Superstars, public platoon trainers, former players, officers and celebrities walked through a red carpet hello and were treated to live performances, robustness and lights on a stage designed to showcase Qatar. Shaped like the desert stacks, it moved to the buoyancy of Qatar’s traditional dhow boats which are dotted across the Doha bay.
Still, the draw that followed after was interesting with three brigades still to be decided when the multinational and European playoffs, delayed due to Covid-19 and Russia’s war in Ukraine, If the short form was glowing.
Former titleholders Spain and Germany were paired together in Group‘E’, Belgium and last edition’s runners-up Croatia were drawn in Group‘F’while in Group‘H’Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will be over against Uruguay, who ended the Manchester United megastar’s dream of winning his first World Cup at the last-16 stage in Russia.
There will also be a political contest at play when Iran and the United States ended in Group‘C’alongside England and either one of Wales or Scotland and Ukraine. Iran and the US have had no politic relations since 1980.
Five- time world titleholders Brazil will play Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon in Group‘G’while Lionel Messi’s Argentina are the top seeded side in Group‘C’which also includes Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland.
Asian titleholders Qatar, playing at the World Cup for the first time, will open the World Cup against Ecuador on Nov 21. They will also play African titleholders Senegal and the Netherlands in Group‘A’.
World titleholders France will begin their title defence against either United Arab Emirates, Australia or Peru in Group‘D’ which also includes Denmark and Tunisia.
France, however, could face a tantalising last-16 clash with Argentina with a implicit meeting with England in the quarter- tests.
The World Cup was n’t won on Friday but the draw is similar that it does n’t look like there’s an easy path to the jewel for anyone.
Spain’s meeting with Germany will be the most sought-after game in Group‘E’. The other brigades in the group will be Japan and either New Zealand or Costa Rica.
Spain knocked out Germany on the way to the title in 2010. Hansi Film’s Germany will go into the World Cup looking for an bettered performance from the 2018 World Cup in Russia where they exited in the group stage as defending titleholders.
Groups
Brazil won the World Cup the last time it was held in Asia back in 2002 and are bidding to end Europe’s dominance of the World Cup since. They also faced Serbia and Switzerland in the group stage in Russia, where they went out in the quarter- tests. To reach the quarter- tests, they would need to beat either Portugal or Uruguay in the round of 16.
‘A’Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
‘B’England, Iran, United States of America, Wales or Ukraine/ Scotland
‘C’Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
‘D’ France, United Arab Emirates/ Australia or Peru, Denmark, Tunisia
‘E’Spain, New Zealand or Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
‘F’Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
‘G’Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
‘H’Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
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