Luck of the Draw: Ukraine Could Join US, England & Iran in Same Group for Qatar World Cup

It’s not an April Fools prank! Group B at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will include the United States, England, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and a fourth team from Europe to be determined by playoff.

The drawing on Friday placed the three teams together, and also set Scotland, Wales and Ukraine against each other for the fourth spot. The results will be clear by June, with the first World Cup games set to begin in late November to avoid the blistering hot summer sun of the Persian Gulf.

“Let’s do this,” the US Men’s National Team tweeted in response to the news, later adding,“See you on Black Friday, England,” referring to the day after Thanksgiving Day in the US, when the Christmas season begins.

Let’s do this. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/hTU7SNRDq0

— USMNT: Qualified. (@USMNT) April 1, 2022

“It was great to get England, that match is always going to get a lot of attention because of England and its fans, that’s very exciting," US head coach Gregg Berhalter said after, adding that “It’s a good group.”

However, the Yanks will face a steep uphill fight: they’ve rarely done well against England or Iran, the latter of which knocked them out of the 1998 games. Iran is the highest-ranked team in Asia. However, the last time the US played England at the World Cup was in 2010. Although it was a draw, the US won the group.

Of the remaining three, none have been to a World Cup since 2006, when Ukraine lost to that year’s champion, Italy, in the quarterfinals. Scotland last joined the world championships in 1998, and Wales way back in 1958.

The winners of Group B are likely to face off against the reigning champions, France, in the quarterfinals, who will first have to contend with Denmark, Tunisia and either Peru, the United Arab Emirates, or Australia.

Host team Qatar will also face a tough climb, being placed with the Netherlands, Senegal and Ecuador. Spain and Germany were both placed in Group E, along with Japan and either Costa Rica or New Zealand. Brazil will be feeling deja-vu, having been placed in Group G with Switzerland and Serbia, just like in 2018.