FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers: A complete guide to the last hope for 12 countries

The final three teams to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup will be determined in the ongoing international break. The format of the qualifiers can be quite confusing for those that haven’t been keeping track of FIFA’s regulations. 

And in this article, we will be clearing out all confusion surrounding the format of the qualifiers. Here is everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which will see the 13 European teams confirmed. 

FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers format explained 

Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Ukraine, Wales, Scotland, Turkey, Russia, Poland and North Macedonia – the 10 teams that finished second in their World Cup qualifier groups – will be a part of the three paths. The Czech Republic and Austria have qualified due to their Nations League performance, despite not finishing second in their group. 

The 12 teams have been drawn into three paths or mini-tournaments, which will lead to a final, and the winner of the final from each path will go on to Qatar. 

Here are the different paths, and the fixtures that will be played out in them: 

Path A

• Semi-final 1: Wales vs Austria (March 24)
• Semi-final 2: Scotland vs Ukraine (will be played in June)
• Final: Will be played in June in Wales (Cardiff) or Austria (Vienna)

Path B

• Semi-final 1: Russia vs Poland (Poland qualified after Russia’s expulsion)
• Semi-final 2: Switzerland vs Czech Republic (March 24)
• Final: March 29 in Poland (Chorzow)

Path C

• Semi-final 1: Portugal vs Turkey (March 24)
• Semi-final 2: Italy vs North Macedonia (March 24)
• Final: March 29 in Portugal (Porto) or Turkey (Konya)