Thirteen European teams will compete in the next World Cup. Ten countries have already qualified for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar. The remaining three spots will be confirmed in March and June of this year. Wales, Scotland, Ukraine, Poland, Sweden, Portugal, and North Macedonia are the remaining national teams in the race. Let's have a look at these seven teams from the FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers that have the best chance of qualifying for the main event.
Second Round Results of the UEFA Qualifiers for 2022 FIFA World Cup
Four matches left in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers. These four games will determine the last three qualifying teams for the 2018 World Cup. Those fixtures include the finals of Path A, Path B, and Path C, as well as a semifinal of Path A. Wales have qualified for the Path A final, in which they will face either Scotland or Ukraine in a do-or-die match. In the Path B final, Poland will meet Sweden, while Portugal will face giant-killer North Macedonia in the Path C final. Let's assess who the favorites are to qualify for the main event of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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Path A Final
Wales vs Scotland/Ukraine
Wales have qualified for the final thanks to two decisive goals from Real Madrid's Gareth Bale. They met Austria in the semifinal on Friday (March 25) and defeated them 2-1. Bale has struggled to find a place in Real Madrid's starting lineup this season, and his performance has been widely criticized. However, he proved everyone wrong on Friday by scoring two important goals for his country. One of the goals was a spectacular free-kick, probably his finest free-kick goal ever. Wales have a genuine chance of qualifying for the Qatar World Cup if the best version of Gareth Bale arrives in the final. Either Scotland or Ukraine will play the final as their scheduled semi-final match was postponed. They will meet in the semifinals in June, with the winner facing Wales later that month. This Path A final will be extremely difficult due to the same strengths of all three teams.
Verdict: Wales to win
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Path B Final
Poland vs Sweden
Sweden defeated the Czech Republic 1-0 in the semifinal courtesy of a goal by Robin Quaison in extra time. Both teams attempted to break the deadlock in the first 90 minutes but were unable to defeat the goalkeepers. Finally, Quaison scored in the 110th minute to send his team to the Path B final. Sweden will face Poland in the final. The semifinal match between Poland and Russia was canceled because of FIFA's recent suspension on the Russian Football Federation. All eyes will be on the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year from Poland, Robert Lewandowski in the final. He has the potential to be decisive, but both Poland and Sweden are difficult to beat, and there is no clear winner in this match.
Path B Final Fixture: Sweden vs Poland | Date: March 29 (Tuesday) | Venue: Silesian Stadium, Poland
Verdict: Poland to win
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Path C Final
Portugal vs North Macedonia
North Macedonia astonished the football world by upsetting four-time World Cup champion Italy 1-0 in the semifinals. Italy will miss two World Cup competitions in a row as a result of this surprise defeat, which is a big disappointment. North Macedonia will likely be more aggressive and give it their all in order to defeat Portugal in the final, as they have nothing to lose. Portugal will start as favorites against North Macedonia in the final after a dominant 3-1 victory over Turkey in the semifinal. However, this North Macedonian side is set to stun the football world again in a few days. If they do, Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes of appearing in another World Cup would be dashed.
Path C Final Fixture: Portugal vs North Macedonia | Date: March 29 (Tuesday) | Venue: Estadio do Dragao, Portugal
Verdict: Portugal to win
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Aftermath
Following the second round semi-final outcomes of the FIFA World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers, it is evident that neither team is a clear favorite to win their respective final matches. No team from the UEFA zone should be reluctant in their pursuit of the remaining three slots in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, especially following Italy's shocking loss to North Macedonia. Therefore, Portugal should be prepared to face a jubilant North Macedonian side in the final, while the match between Poland and Sweden promises to be exciting. Besides, Wales will have to wait until June to play Scotland or Ukraine in the final. Neutral supporters want to see a match between Wales and Scotland because both countries are part of the United Kingdom, which promises to be a fierce contest.