2022 World Cup draw: Croatia to face Belgium and Canada in group stages
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
(Screenshot)
DOHA, 1 April 2022 – Current runners-up Croatia will meet former world no. 1 Belgium in Group F at the 2022 World Cup after the draw was made at the DECC venue in Doha, Qatar on Friday.
Croatia, who started the draw in pot 2, was drawn alongside Belgium, Morocco and Canada in Group F.
Zlatko Dalić’s side will open their World Cup campaign against Morocco on Wednesday, 23 November. They will play Canada in the second match on Sunday, 27 November before playing Belgium in their final match of the group on Thursday, 1 December.
Croatia has never met Belgium at a major tournament, but have played them eight times in the past. The last time the two teams met was in a friendly just before Euro last summer with Belgium winning 1-0.
29 teams learned their group opponents today with the final three places at the tournament going to either Wales, Scotland or Ukraine, Costa Rica or New Zealand and UAE, Australia or Peru. The qualifying playoffs from these paths will be decided in June.
Croatia have an impressive record in qualifying for major tournaments, and the FIFA 2022 World Cup will be the nation’s 12th major tournament and its 6th World Cup. They will start this year’s tournament as runners-up after finishing second to France in 2018.
The FIFA 2022 World Cup starts in Qatar on 21 November with the final to be played on 18 December.
