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Is this a replay? Socceroos drawn into 2022 World Cup group with France, Denmark AGAIN
Australia will face France, Denmark and Tunisia in Group D if it qualifies for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Socceroos - or rather, a placeholder representing them, UAE and Peru - were drawn out of pot four as part of a lengthy ceremony in Doha, Qatar on Saturday morning.
One of those three nations will qualify via the inter-confederation playoffs to be held in June.
Remarkably it means either Australia or Peru could be in a group with two of the teams they faced at Russia 2018 - France and Denmark.
In that tournament the group of four was Australia, Peru, France and Denmark with the latter two qualifiying. Tunisia, the lowest-ranked team from Pot 3, replaces at least one of those former two nations this time.
Australia’s first match would be against the reigning champions France.
SOCCEROOS WORLD CUP SCHEDULE
November 22/23: France v Australia
November 26/27: Tunisia v Australia
November 30/December 1: Australia v Denmark
Times TBC, possible slots are 9pm, midnight, 3am and 6am AEDT
By the time Australia was drawn, it had two options left: the Group D it received, or Group F, where it would have joined Belgium, Morocco and Croatia.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said the team would be inspired by a chance at revenge as it chases qualification for the tournament.
“(Group D) brings back memories from 2018 and playing France, the winners in 2018, and having Denmark in the same group – the only difference is Tunisia,” Arnold said.
“Obviously, it is one step at a time for us, and it is all about the play-offs first and foremost, but it is an exciting group.”
“They (Socceroos players) will be back at their clubs, and they will be seeing the draw today. Some of the boys that were there in 2018 would like revenge and I am pretty sure that they will all be excited.”
Asian rivals Japan were arguably one of the unluckiest countries, joining Group E with Spain, Germany and either Costa Rica or New Zealand.
England will be happy with its draw, getting USA, Iran and one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine with it in Group B.
The opening match of the World Cup will pit Group A’s Qatar against Ecuador, with Senegal and Netherlands fancying their chances of making it out of that quartet.
Aussie great Tim Cahill was one of eight legends assisting with the draw.
GROUP A
1. Qatar
2. Ecuador
3. Senegal
4. Netherlands
GROUP B
1. England
2. Iran
3. USA
4. Wales/Scotland/Ukraine (UEFA Playoff winner)
GROUP C
1. Argentina
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Mexico
4. Poland
GROUP D
1. France
2. Australia/UAE/Peru (IC Playoff 1 winner)
3. Denmark
4. Tunisia
GROUP E
1. Spain
2. Costa Rica/New Zealand (IC Playoff 2 winner)
3. Germany
4. Japan
GROUP F
1. Belgium
2. Morocco
3. Canada
4. Croatia
GROUP G
1. Brazil
2. Serbia
3. Switzerland
4. Cameroon
GROUP H
1. Portugal
2. Ghana
3. Uruguay
4. South Korea
(Schedule is teams 1 v 2 and 3 v 4, then 1 v 3 and 2 v 4, and finally 1 v 4 and 2 v 3)
There are three spots still to be decided via playoffs in June in Qatar.
The first sees the winner of an Asian playoff between the Socceroos and the UAE face the fifth-placed South American team Peru.
The second sees New Zealand, Oceania’s representative, face North America’s fourth-place side Costa Rica.
And finally, the war in Ukraine delayed the play-offs for the final European spot. Scotland and Ukraine will face off in June, before the winner faces Wales one week later. The winner of that clash qualifies for the tournament.
THE PRE-DRAW POTS
Pot 1: Qatar (hosts), Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal
Pot 2: Mexico, United States, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Croatia, Uruguay
Pot 3: Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia
Pot 4: Canada, Cameroon, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, (Final European qualifier), (Asia v South America playoff winner), (North America v Oceania playoff winner)
The tournament kicks off when hosts Qatar play their opener on the 21st of November at 9pm (AEDT). For most of the group stage, matches will take place at 9pm, midnight, 3am, and 6am every night.
For the final group stage matches and the knockouts, matches will take place at 2am and 6am AEDT.
The World Cup final is on December 19th at 2am AEDT.
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