The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is less than 15 months away.
After a summer of fantastic international football tournaments, from the delayed Euro 2020 and 2021 Copa America, to the 2021 Gold Cup, we welcome the return of the best modern football can offer us, an international break filled with World Cup qualifiers.
For the next week, national teams from almost every continent will fight for their place in the footballing world’s most prestigious tournament. Here at BabaGol, we’ve put together a few of the talking points and interesting fixtures from each of the continents’ upcoming qualifiers.
Al-Janoub Stadium, Al-Wakrah, Qatar. The World Cup is actually right around the corner. (Photo: FIFA Media)
Africa
After a long hiatus in African international football, teams will return to action. Split into ten groups, the group winners will advance to the third and final round, with only five making it to the finals in Qatar. The continent is still dealing with Covid-19 regulations and their implementation in football, causing some scheduling and venue changes along the way.
But still, African World Cup qualifiers are always filled with tremendous stories and clashes.
Senegal face Togo, Egypt host Angola, whilst Libya, a side who were close to being excluded from the tournament altogether, after being threatened with the sanction byfrom the governing body for failing to pay debts to former, and recently re-appointed, coach Javier Clemente, will play Gabon at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi.
The Guineas derby between Guinea-Bissau and Guinea is also taking place, with, east and central Africa joining the party later in the week, alongside two notable north African teams.
Kenya face Uganda, DR Congo will look to ‘fimbu’ dance Tanzania away in Lubumbashi, whilst Algeria look to smash Djibouti. Atlas Lions, Morocco, will face an improving Sudan side, with the likes of Amer Abdulrahman and Sharaf A-Din Shibob looking to star.
Europe
Qualifiers in Europe are much more classic. - 55 countries compete in ten groups, alongside the hosts of the final tournament, Qatar, as the 56th. The Annabi are playing as a friendly rival in Group A to gain experience against European teams, before the tournament next winter.
The strongest games to follow are Norway v the Netherlands, Portugal v Ireland, and a France side, featuring Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema, taking on Bosnia and Herzegovina. The BabaGolers among you, however, will probably want to keep an eye on Denmark v Scotland, Turkey v Montenegro, or the thrilling encounter between Russia and Croatia, a remake of the 2018 World Cup quarter-final. A just as fun fix would be Slovenia against Slovakia in Ljubljana, whilst later in the week, Hungary host England in the Puskas Arena, for another buzzing display. Meanwhile, Poland, the biggest disappointment from this summer’s Euros, will travel to Albania. But for you true BabaGolers, have a watch as Georgia host Kosovo, in what might just be a classic.
Matches continue into next week, with Israel hosting Austria in another potentially high scoring match. Europe is Europe. Classic, but anything can happen.
Asia
Twelve national teams start their road to Qatar in the AFC third qualifying round, and boy is this shaping up to be, probably, the most exciting continent so far.
Because of Covid-19, many of the matches are taking place in neutral venues, but the tension is still there. These are the ‘local’ teams that are hoping to be a part of the big celebration in 2022, with the World Cup coming to the Middle East for the first time. Not just because of the football, but because of the stories, the politics, and the social situations surrounding it.
Iran, a country that fights against international sanctions, are the favourites to march on, and will play an up-and-coming Syria. The country, lead by controversial president Bashar al-Assad, are showing promise on the field with Omar Khribin and Mahmoud Al-Mawas. Next week will see Team Melli play Iraq at the Clasico Asia in Qatar, focusing their attention on their long-term rivals.
There’s a huge Lebanese community in Dubai, and the game between the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon, at the UAE’s Zabeel Stadium, is already sold out - and it’s going to be a cracker. If you look at their socio-economic circumstances, Lebanon is currently at its lowest point, giving the players an extra bit of motivation to put a smile on their fan’s faces.
Under new coach Dick Advocaat, Iraq will hope to stun Son Heung-min’s South Korea. Expectations on the shoulders of the Dutch coach are high, the fans expect nothing less than a World Cup ticket - if they prevail it would be their first appearance since 1986, and the first since the end of Saddam Hussein’s era.
Australia and China are also, naturally, keen on qualifying, and Espanyol forward Wu Lei will look to stun the Socceroos and help China make a statement at this early stage of the tournament.
Saudi Arabia play host to one of the most improving nations in Asia, Vietnam, in what will be a test for Herve Renard’s project in the kingdom. The Saudis will accept nothing but qualification for the finals; they see the World Cup, hosted by their eternal Gulf rival Qatar, an event they must be a part of. And the pressure is on.
The Americas
Here we’re still in the early stages of qualification, and the classic ‘Big Three’, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, are all in pole position for qualification, with Ecuador and Colombia battling it out for fourth place, and the intercontinental play-off slot.
Chile are currently out of the leading flock, amd will host Brazil -iIt’s the last attempt of their golden generation to make the finals. Meanwhile South American champions Argentina, will head to Venezuela in the penultimate round of fixtures.
Heading north the situation is quite familiar. The format has changed in North America, but the clear favourites to grab the World Cup spots are still the same.
The USA and Mexico will find it hard to lose their regular leading roles, with matches against El Salvador and Jamaica respectively.
Canada will look to surprise and gain a win against Honduras, sending a message to the rest: “Hi, we are here, and we are not waiting until 2026 to show you what we are made of”. Panama and Costa Rica will face off in the Centro-American derby, and you can probably expect to see some attractive football in the process.
Oceania
The only continent that won’t be participating in this window, or the next one, or the one after that, is Oceania. The OFC couldn’t cope with the changing coronavirus situation, and still need to determine a new format for qualification.
Eleven teams, among them some true footballing greats: Vanuatu, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga and, the eternal winner, New Zealand, are all waiting for January to join the World Cup qualifications party.
Once the format is defined, the drama won’t skip Oceania. After all, it is always the next goal that wins.
Photo credit: FIFA Media.
Piece was edited on September 1, by Alex Smith
