Overview
The FIFA World Cup Qualifiers are happening! In the qualifiers, 210 national teams from across the globe compete for one of 32 spots in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. So far, 13 teams have already qualified for the World Cup, and there are still many more spots waiting to be filled!
How are team qualifications determined?
To become qualified for the World Cup, each team must be the top team of their group, or they must be the host country. There are five or six teams in each group of the qualifiers. Each region of the world has a different section for qualification. There are the European Qualifiers, Asian Qualifiers, African Qualifiers, North American Qualifiers, South American Qualifiers, and the Oceanian Qualifiers. For example, Germany has already qualified for the World Cup because they are the winners of Group J in the UEFA qualifiers.
Where is the World Cup happening?
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is happening in Qatar, a country in the Middle East. There is much controversy around how Qatar was selected as the venue for the tournament. Some say that Qatar bribed the voters to vote for Qatar as the host nation. There are also many other smaller issues that surround the venue, like the extremely hot temperatures and the laws of Qatar.
Qualified Nations:
So far, there are 13 nations that have already qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. These nations are Serbia, Denmark, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Croatia, France, England, Belgium, Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Qatar. All the nations qualified by becoming the winner of their group, or by reaching the final four of their round robin, except Qatar. This is because the host nation’s national team must compete in their own World Cup. Qatar automatically qualifies, for they are the host nation.
Favorites To Win:
There are three favorites for the 2022 World Cup. In the 2021 Copa America, Argentina and Brazil made it to the finals. Lionel Messi won his first national tournament for Argentina. Argentina is as strong as ever, and fans say that they have a very strong chance to win the 2022 World Cup. At the UEFA Euro 2020, Italy and England made the finals. Italy was bulldozing their competition while maintaining a strong offense. The Italian team is often lauded for their solid defense, but their relentless offense helped them win the Euros. Although they have a strong and confident team, Italy still has not qualified for the 2022 World Cup. Lastly, France is also a major favorite to win the 2022 World Cup. France has won the 2018 World Cup, but they lost to Switzerland in penalties at the UEFA Euro 2020. Despite this loss, France is still looking very strong, and they have a good chance to win the tournament. My current favorite to win is France, because they have a very young team, with a strong offense and defense. They have an aggressive offense which is complemented with a midfield that can take control of the ball from the other team.
There are many strong teams that have already qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, many of them with new rising superstars. I am eager to see which country will come out at the top!
