Who will make it out of the World Cup group stage?

Gabe Korngold ‘23

Every four years, in the lead-up to the men’s World Cup, one of the most important events is the drawing of World Cup groups. Put simply, FIFA officials draw teams from a pot to determine who will be playing who in the group stage of the World Cup. There are eight groups, each consisting of four national teams, and each group plays a round-robin to determine which two teams advance. 

Predicting which teams will advance is no easy feat, and there are surprises every year. In 2018, Germany was eliminated in a stunning late loss to South Korea after winning the previous World Cup and putting on a strong showing leading up to the tournament that year. In 2014, world champion Spain was routed in the group stage, and powerhouses such as England, Italy, and Portugal also failed to advance. 

Nevertheless, there are always favorites to move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup, and this is no different for 2022. Here in this interactive presentation, we will break down each group in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and try to decide which two teams in each group of four will make it through.

Who do you think will make it out? Let us know in this form.