[*]
The end of the group stage in the UEFA zone paints an enlightening panorama for the World Cup in Qatar. The ten European representatives classified are already known (also the 12 who are going to the repechage) and with them the names of the seeds in the final phase draw. It is not official, but the data can be extracted by the accumulated ranking. And in that sense the news is unbeatable: the Red will be seeded.
The good role of the National Team in 2022 has allowed it to accumulate the necessary points to make it so. Spain is the eighth team in accumulated coefficient, which would already give it the right to be in the hype of the best. In addition, they are ahead of Italy, who have not yet qualified and must earn that right in the play-off. If it falls, Spain will be seventh; if classified, eighth. Either option is valid for Luis Enrique’s team.
The eight teams that will be in Pot 1 are Qatar (hosts), Belgium, Brazil, France, England, Argentina, Italy (if qualified) and Spain. In other words, the best of the Old Continent will be joined by Brazil and Argentina. If Italy does not get the ticket, Portugal would take its place; if Portugal does not qualify either, that honor will go to Denmark.
The news is the other great teams that will fall to other hype, including Germany and the Netherlands. The Germans will be the big bogeyman of the draw. As there are more European teams than the rest of the Confederations, it is more than likely that the Flick team will coincide with another European in the group. This has already happened to Spain in the last three World Cups with Switzerland (2010), Holland (2014) and Portugal (2018).
Unless FIFA decides to change the criteria that it has followed religiously in the last 3 editions of the World Cup, these will be the 8 seeds in #Qatar2022:
Qatar
Belgium
Brazil
France
England
Argentina
Italy*
Spain[*] if Italy qualifies, obviously.
— MisterChip (Alexis) (@2010MisterChip) November 17, 2021
The rest of the drums are usually designated by geographical areas. That is, until the classifieds are known, an exact approximation cannot be made. In Europe the play-offs still have to be played and Confederations such as CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF and AFC are still immersed in the qualifying processes. What is certain is that, regardless of this, Spain will be among the best in the draw. Great news for Luis Enrique and his family.
When is the draw?
Although FIFA has not made it official, it seems that the World Cup draw will be on April 1 in Doha. The Organizing Committee wants to set up a super event at the height of the tournament. The criteria to be used for the rest of the drums other than 1 are not known either. In general, FIFA orders them by Confederations, but it is not confirmed which will go in some and which in others. Yes, it is certain that at the time of the draw, the names of all those classified will not be known, since the repechage between Confederations is scheduled for June.