Australia’s potential group at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has been revealed overnight, with a repeat of their opening game four years ago against France to come if they can qualify through the playoffs.
The Socceroos will take on the UAE in an AFC fifth-placed playoff in Doha on June 7, with the winner to take on Peru in an intercontinental playoff a week later for a spot at the biggest sporting event in the world.
Australia’s path just to qualify for their fifth straight World Cup is treacherous after missing out on automatic qualification, but if they can navigate two sudden-death games, their opponents in Qatar are now known.
If they can book their spot at World Cup, they’ll take on defending champions France, Denmark and Tunisia. The Socceroos took on both France and Denmark four years ago in Russia.
In other highlights to come from the draw – which was held at a lavish ceremony in Doha in the early hours of Saturday morning (AEDT) - England were drawn in Group B alongside the USA and could also face rivals Scotland or Wales if they make it through the European play off.
Group E contains Spain and Germany as well as Japan, setting up a blockbuster match up against two of Europe’s heavyweights.
29 of the 32 teams for the much-anticipated tournament have been confirmed, with either Costa Rica or New Zealand and one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine to join either Australia, UAE or Peru at the tournament.
The World Cup begins on November 21 with Senegal taking on Netherlands, England facing Iran, hosts Qatar against Ecuador and USA taking on the Europoean playoff winner. The final will take place on December 18.
FULL GROUPS
Group A
Qatar
Ecuador
Senegal
Netherlands
Group B
England
Iran
USA
Ukraine/Scotland or Wales
Group C
Argentina
Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Poland
Group D
France
Australia/UAE OR Peru
Denmark
Tunisia
Group E
Spain
New Zealand OR Costa Rica
Germany
Japan
Group F
Belgium
Canada
Morocco
Croatia
Group G
Brazil
Serbia
Switzerland
Cameroon
Group H
Portugal
Ghana
Uruguay
South Korea