DOHA: The first major landmark in Qatar’s 12-year journey to host the FIFA World Cup has been reached. The shape of how the first festival of world football in the Arab world will be played when it kicks off in November has now been decided.

A far cry from the fiery FIFA Congress on Friday, where Qatar’s human rights record came under scathing criticism, Friday’s draw ceremony was a celebration of the Gulf state’s history and future as the first World Cup of the Arab world draws ever closer.

At the sprawling Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre in the heart of the Qatari capital, VIPs, national team coaches, former players, officials and celebrities walked through a red carpet welcome and were treated to live performances, animations and lights on a stage designed to showcase Qatar. Shaped like the desert dunes, it moved to the buoyancy of Qatar’s traditional dhow boats which are dotted across the Doha bay.

If the short ceremony was dazzling, the draw that followed after was intriguing with three teams still to be decided when the intercontinental and European playoffs, delayed due to Covid-19 and Russia’s war in Ukraine, are played in June.

Former champions Spain and Germany were paired together in Group ‘E’, Belgium and last edition’s runners-up Croatia were drawn in Group ‘F’ while in Group ‘H’ Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will be up against Uruguay, who ended the Manchester United superstar’s dream of winning his first World Cup at the last-16 stage in Russia.

There will also be a political rivalry at play when Iran and the United States ended in Group ‘C’ alongside England and either one of Wales or Scotland and Ukraine. Iran and the US have had no diplomatic relations since 1980.

Five-time world champions Brazil will play Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon in Group ‘G’ while Lionel Messi’s Argentina are the top seeded side in Group ‘C’ which also includes Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland.

Asian champions Qatar, playing at the World Cup for the first time, will open the World Cup against Ecuador on Nov 21. They will also play African champions Senegal and the Netherlands in Group ‘A’.

World champions France will begin their title defence against either United Arab Emirates, Australia or Peru in Group ‘D’ which also includes Denmark and Tunisia.

France, though, could face a tantalising last-16 clash with Argentina with a potential meeting with England in the quarter-finals.

The World Cup wasn’t won on Friday but the draw is such that it doesn’t look like there’s an easy path to the trophy for anyone.

Spain’s meeting with Germany will be the most sought-after game in Group ‘E’. The other teams in the group will be Japan and either New Zealand or Costa Rica.

Spain knocked out Germany on the way to the title in 2010. Hansi Flick’s Germany will go into the World Cup looking for an improved performance from the 2018 World Cup in Russia where they exited in the group stage as defending champions.

Groups:

Brazil won the World Cup the last time it was held in Asia back in 2002 and are bidding to end Europe’s dominance of the World Cup since. They also faced Serbia and Switzerland in the group stage in Russia, where they went out in the quarter-finals. To reach the quarter-finals, they would need to beat either Portugal or Uruguay in the round of 16.

‘A’: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands

‘B’: England, Iran, United States of America, Wales or Ukraine/Scotland

‘C’: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

‘D’: France, United Arab Emirates/Australia or Peru, Denmark, Tunisia

‘E’: Spain, New Zealand or Costa Rica, Germany, Japan

‘F’: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

‘G’: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

‘H’: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2022