The first World Cup of 2022 kicks off on November 21, with England playing Iran on the opening day. England, which qualified through the play-offs, will then face Wales on November 29. The tournament will be hosted in Qatar, a country with a large soccer-playing population. In addition to hosting the tournament, many other major sports will take place during this time. To keep track of these dates, be sure to follow the FIFA website.
France, the defending champions, are the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar. Their star-studded squad has been impressive in qualifying, and they will have an advantage over other nations. France is in Group G, alongside Cameroon, Serbia, and Switzerland. England are on the World Cup 2022 odds board, and are right there with Brazil and France. France is the favourite to win the tournament, but their opponents in this group are not weak.
France is a strong contender, and they won their UEFA qualifying group without losing a single match. France will also likely make it to the knockout stage. Other top contenders are Brazil, Germany, England, Spain, Argentina, and Belgium. There is no clear favorite at the moment, but there are some teams with a high chance of qualifying for the World Cup. Canada's bid to host the tournament earlier this week ended in failure, but it is still a bright spot for the Canadian team.
In terms of team strength, the two favorites in this tournament are Mexico and Spain. Both countries have a solid ranking and have a great deal of experience under their belts. While it's likely that the tournament's top teams won't meet in Poland, the odds on these two teams are still quite similar. However, in Mexico's case, they are the favorites and must defeat Poland to advance to the next round.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the tournament, it is worth noting that both Russia and Uruguay qualified for the event. Both sides will have a tough time battling the defending champions of Europe. The warm climate of Qatar could also be a factor. The World Cup in 2022 will be held during the club season in Europe. Moreover, Mexico, which won the Copa America, will likely face Portugal and Argentina.
The tournament's group structure makes it hard to predict the teams' final positions. Group H features three teams who are expected to reach the knockout stages. Portugal, Uruguay, and Senegal are the favorites, but they didn't do so well at the Copa America tournaments. As such, the odds on Portugal's first-round group win are relatively low. But Brazil isn't guaranteed to finish second in their group, with a -150 line.
