The World Cup draw has been made, and England fans will feel confident after they avoided any big names. However, there is the real possibility of the English having to take on neighbours Wales or Scotland, depending how the one remaining European qualifying place goes.
Elsewhere, there were some juicy draws, none bigger than European giants Spain and Germany being pitted together in the same group. Favourites Brazil and France will be confident, although the Portuguese have been drawn in a potentially tricky group.
England avoid big guns
The draw really couldn’t have been much kinder to England. Drawn in Group B, they first drew USA from the second batch of teams. Iran were then drawn, setting up a politically tense match with the US.
It was the final team drawn in the group that provided the talking point. England will play the final European qualifier, which has yet to be decided due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This means that England will find themselves playing one of Ukraine, Scotland or Wales.
England will open their World Cup campaign with a match against Iran, while the Americans will take on the last European qualifiers.
Spain and Germany in same group
Group E will be the most keenly watched of them all, as it features two former World Cup winners – Spain and Germany. The unlucky teams to be drawn alongside them are Japan and Costa Rica or New Zealand.
The Netherlands were perhaps the luckiest of all major nations, being drawn alongside Qatar, Ecuador and Senegal. Brazil will also count themselves lucky, drawing Switzerland, Serbia and Cameroon.
World Cup Group Stage draw
Group A
- Qatar
- Ecuador
- Netherlands
- Senegal
Group B
- England
- Iran
- USA
- Scotland/Ukraine/Wales
Group C
- Argentina
- Saudi Arabia
- Mexico
- Poland
Group D
- France
- UAE/Australia/Peru
- Denmark
- Tunisia
Group E
- Spain
- Costa Rica/New Zealand
- Germany
- Japan
Group F
- Belgium
- Canada
- Morocco
- Croatia
Group G
- Brazil
- Serbia
- Switzerland
- Cameroon
Group H
- Portugal
- Ghana
- Uruguay
- South Korea
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