The 2022 FIFA World Cup gets underway with hosts Qatar facing off with Ecuador in their first-ever appearance in the competition on November 20.
The pair are ranked as outsiders to reach the knockout stages, with Group A heavyweights Senegal and the Netherlands doing battle in Doha, 24 hours later.
Senegal head into the World Cup on the back of securing their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2021. Meanwhile, the Oranje are looking to make up for lost time after missing out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The prospect of Senegal looking to better their quarterfinal spot in 2002, the unchartered territory of Qatar at a World Cup, Ecuador back after their own World Cup absence and a resurgent Dutch side all make for plenty of twists and turns as we wait to see what will happen in Group A.
MORE: Full World Cup 2022 Schedule: All the games, times, dates and fixtures
World Cup Group A standings
| Team | PTS | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1: Qatar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A2: Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A3: Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A4: Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
World Cup Group A results and fixtures
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium | Final Result |
| Sun, Nov. 20 | Qatar vs. Ecuador | 11 a.m. | Al Bayt | |
| Mon, Nov. 21 | Senegal vs. Netherlands | 11 a.m. | Al Thumama | |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | Qatar vs. Senegal | 8 a.m. | Al Thumama | |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | Netherlands vs. Ecuador | 11 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l | |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Netherlands vs. Qatar | 10 a.m. | Al Bayt | |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Ecuador vs. Senegal | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
World Cup group tiebreakers
FIFA have confirmed a continuation of their group-stage final standings and tiebreaking criteria for the 2022 World Cup, with the final positions ranked based on following the system below.
- Points obtained in all group matches
- Goal difference in all group matches
- Number of goals scored in all group matches
- Points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question
- Goal difference in the matches played between the teams in question
- Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question
- Fair play points in all group matches (only one deduction can be applied to a player in a single match):
- Yellow card: −1 point;
- Indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
- Direct red card: −4 points;
- Yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;
- Drawing of lots.
World Cup 2022 Group A betting odds
The pre-tournament betting odds for Netherlands and other Group A sides in the major global territories are below (odds via BetMGM for U.S., Sky Bet for U.K., Sports Interaction for Canada and Ladbrokes for Australia).
| Team | To win group |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | -250 (US) 1/2 (UK) 1.41 (CAN) 1.50 (AU) |
| Senegal | +450 (US) 4/1 (UK) 5.61 (CAN) 5.50 (AU) |
| Ecuador | +500 (US) 11/2 (UK) 5.79 (CAN) 5.50 (AU) |
| Qatar | +1600 (US) 11/1 (UK) 16.00 (CAN) 13.00 (AU) |
| Team | To qualify |
| Netherlands | -1400 (US) 1/7 (UK) 1.13 (CAN) 1.10 (AU) |
| Senegal | -105 (US) 5/6 (UK) 1.92 (CAN) 1.91 (AU) |
| Ecuador | -110 (US) 11/10 (UK) 1.82 (CAN) 1.91 (AU) |
| Qatar | +375 (US) 7/2 (UK) 3.77 (CAN) 4.50 (AU) |
| Team | To win World Cup |
| Netherlands | +1400 (US) 14/1 (UK) 9.39 (CAN) 13.00 (AU) |
| Senegal | +8000 (US) 100/1 (UK) 75.10 (CAN) 81 (AU) |
| Ecuador | +15000 (US) 150/1 (UK) 92.00 (CAN) 126 (AU) |
| Qatar | +25000 (US) 500/1 (UK) 156 (CAN) 251 (AU) |
Do 3rd place teams advance at World Cup 2022?
In short, no they do not. FIFA have confirmed third-place teams will not qualify for the last 16, with only the top two nations from each group going through to the knockout stages.