The eight groups for the World Cup in Qatar will be drawn today in Doha (5:55 p.m., ORF 1). The balls were distributed according to the current world rankings – with one exception: the host’s team is in the first pot.
Qatar is therefore the ideal opponent for teams like Germany or the Netherlands, who only made it into the second pot. Otherwise there are duels with Brazil, Belgium, defending champions France, Argentina, England, Spain or Portugal in the preliminary round. The lucky angels include former world champions Lothar Matthäus (1990 with Germany) and Cafu (1994 and 2002 with Brazil).
29 of the 32 participants have been determined, the remaining three starters (all in pot four) will be determined in the play-offs in June at the latest. The 21st World Cup kicks off on November 21st, with the final taking place on December 18th.
FIFA and Qatar have been under criticism since the 2010 award. More than 6,500 workers are said to have died on the construction sites. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who announced that he will stand for re-election in 2023, points to the great power of football to bring about change. According to Amnesty, however, the authorities “restricted even more” the right to freedom of expression before the World Cup, and women and minorities continue to be discriminated against.
Austria in 34th place
The World Cup in Qatar is the last with 32 teams. In 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA there will be 48 teams – this also increases Austria’s chances. In the current world rankings, the ÖFB team lost four positions and is now in 34th place. The ÖFB opponents in the Nations League are significantly higher: France is third, Denmark eleventh, and Croatia is in 16th place.
Source: Nachrichten
