Both Wales and Ukraine entered the Cardiff City Stadium pitch on Sunday (June 5) in pursuit of their second World Cup main event spot. Wales previously competed in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, whereas Ukraine competed in the 2006 World Cup in Germany for the first and only time. Ukraine have a history of getting eliminated from the playoffs, and it was a major concern for them ahead of the match. Their fears came true when they were beaten 1-0 by Wales during the game, ending their hopes of playing in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
With Wales' participation, the qualifications of all 13 European nations for the Qatar World Cup 2022 have been confirmed. Take a look at the European countries who have qualified for the main tournament, as well as Wales' path to World Cup qualifying.
Read Cavani shines as Uruguay rout Mexico in friendly
2022 FIFA World Cup: Wales' Qualifying Journey
As per the November 2020 FIFA rankings, Wales were placed in pot 2 for the first round of UEFA region qualifying. There were ten groups in the first round, with the winner of each group qualifying for the Qatar World Cup 2022. Wales were drawn to Group E in the first round of qualifying. This group also included Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Estonia. Belgium came out on top in Group E and qualified for the main tournament. Wales finished second in their group, earning a spot in the playoffs.
The playoffs included a total of 12 teams, divided into four groups of four teams each. Wales were in Path A, where they defeated Austria 2-1 to reach the playoff final for this path. On the other hand, Ukraine defeated Scotland 3-1 and faced Wales for a place in the 2022 World Cup, but lost 1-0. Wales qualified for the main event for the first time in 64 years after defeating Ukraine.
The last time Wales competed in a World Cup was in Sweden in 1958. Sixteen teams competed in the competition, with Wales being one of the twelve European nations. Wales performed well in that competition, finishing second in Group 3 with three points and progressing to the quarter-finals. They were eliminated from the competition after losing 1-0 to the eventual winner, Brazil, in the quarter-final match.
Read Who Bagged the Maximum Trophies in Football So Far?
Qualified European teams for Qatar World Cup 2022
Only one berth remains for UEFA World Cup qualifiers after twelve teams were confirmed in March. With the confirmation of Wales' participation, all thirteen teams from the European zone have been confirmed. The thirteen European national teams that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2022 main event are Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, and Wales.
Portugal, Poland, and Wales were among those who had to compete in playoffs to qualify for the main tournament. Portugal defeated North Macedonia in the final of the Patch C tie to go to the Qatar World Cup 2022. North Macedonia had earlier surprised Italy 1-0 to set up a one-off match against Portugal for a place in the World Cup. The victory of North Macedonia over Italy is considered the biggest shock of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. On the other hand, Poland qualified for the main event after defeating Sweden 2-0 in the Patch B playoff final.
Read Summer Football Transfer Window 2022: Potential Big Moves
Bottom Line
Wales' football supporters will see their side compete in the main event for the first time after missing 15 World Cups in a row. This is undoubtedly a fantastic achievement for Wales' national team. Even more exciting, they will participate in Group B of the main event, where they will face off against their bitter rivals, England. They will also face Iran and the United States in the group stage. Therefore, Wales stand a good chance of making it to the Round of 16.
France, Spain, and England are the hot favorites to win the FIFA World Cup 2022 among the European qualifying countries. The Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, and Belgium also have a chance to win the main event. The remainder of the European teams' primary objectives will be to perform well in the main event and go as far as possible in the knockout stages.
Read Messi nets 5 for Argentina for 1st time, overtakes Puskas