It is this April 1 that the France team will know, like other great nations, its first opponents at the 2022 World Cup (November 21-December 18).
But the Blues, guaranteed to be among the top seeds, cannot face everyone.
We will explain everything to you.
To discover
The 2022 World Cup play-off schedule
How many teams and groups?
32 teams will be divided into 8 groups for the group stage.
There will therefore be 4 nations per group, each of which will compete once and only once.
Only the first two of each group will qualify for the round of 16.
The formula, in force since 1998, is classic.
But don't get used to it too much: the World Cup will increase to 48 teams from 2026.
Which continents are the most represented?
As usual, Europe and its 13 entry tickets will be the most visible continent at the World Cup.
Behind, it will depend on what the intercontinental dams give.
Africa will have 5 representatives, North and Central America 3 or 4, South America 4 or 5, Asia 5 or 6 (including Qatar, host country) and Oceania zero or 1.
Can two countries from the same continent compete?
Yes, but only if they come from the European continent.
The reason is simple: there will be more European nations (13) than groups (8).
It is therefore impossible to strictly apply the geographical criteria in force for the other continents.
You will never see a Brazil-Argentina or a Japan-South Korea in the group stage, but you may see a France-Croatia or an England-Germany.
Who will be the top seeds and how are they defined?
The host country is still seeded and automatically transferred to Group A, since it will play the inaugural match.
A boon for Qatar, 52nd nation in the FIFA rankings.
Because yes: the rest of the seeds are decided on the basis of the classification of the international federation.
France, 3rd nation in the world, is therefore seeded, as are Belgium, Brazil, Argentina, England and Spain.
If Portugal qualify, they will complete pot 1. Otherwise, it will benefit Denmark, 9th in the Fifa rankings.
For the Netherlands (10th) and Germany (11th), it will be hat 2.
How are we going to do with the dams in June?
Following its invasion by Russia, Ukraine saw its play-off against Scotland postponed to June.
It is also during this period that the famous intercontinental dams will take place (which do not concern the American continents, Asia and Oceania).
There will therefore be no less than 3 teams qualified for the World Cup well after the draw on Friday.
Paradox?
A little, but Fifa has planned it.
The three “latecomers” will automatically be placed in hat 4. The Fifa ranking will therefore not apply for them.
A small injustice for some teams like Wales, 20th nation in the world, which, if it emerges victorious from its play-off, would theoretically have found itself in hat 2. But it was not easy to postpone the draw either. comes out for several months.
Organizational issue.
