Finally - These are the groups for next year’s World Cup!

We’ve finally reached that moment — the groups for the upcoming FIFA World Cup have been drawn. First impression: there’s plenty here that won’t exactly glue us to the TV screens, if we’re being honest. The hosts, as expected, got a fairly comfortable path, and the only guaranteed big clashes in the opening phase for now are England vs. Croatia and Uruguay vs. Spain.

No doubt, matches like France vs. Norway, Germany vs. Ivory Coast, Argentina vs. Algeria (and even Austria) will bring excitement, but if we’re talking true heavyweight showdowns — we won’t see many of them in the group stage.

ALL GROUPS

Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Playoff 1

Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Playoff 2

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, Playoff 6

Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Playoff 4

Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Playoff 5

Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Playoff 3

Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

NOTE:

Playoff 1: Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, or Ireland

Playoff 2: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, or Bosnia & Herzegovina

Playoff 3: Jamaica, New Caledonia, or Congo

Playoff 4: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, or Albania

Playoff 5: Bolivia, Suriname, or Iraq

Playoff 6: Turkey, Romania, Kosovo*, or Slovakia

It’s a fact that expanding the number of participants dilutes the overall quality; it’s also a fact that this decision was not initially welcomed by the wider football community. Still, fans seem to have kept enough enthusiasm and excitement — that familiar pre-tournament appetizer — for yet another global football spectacle.