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Spain have been drawn into Group E against fierce rivals Germany in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Joining them will be AFC Cup 2019 finalists Japan and the winner of the intercontinental playoff two match, scheduled in June involving Costa Rica or New Zealand.
The draw has produced a rematch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, where a Carles Puyol effort sent Spain through to the final of the tournament in Johannesburg as they eventually went on to pick up the prestigious trophy.
Japan will also see a chance to make the knockout phase, having qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup in three of the last five occasions.
Costa Rica or New Zealand will make up the final place in Group E, kicking off their action against Luis Enrique’s Spain on Wednesday, Nov. 23.
The full World Cup draw ⚽️ 🍿 pic.twitter.com/qEpWmD6Zdy
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) April 1, 2022
World Cup Group E table & fixtures
Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E1: Spain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
E2: CRC/NZ* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
E3: Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
E4: Japan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* = Winner of Intercontinental Playoff (Costa Rica vs. New Zealand)
Group E match schedule
Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
Wed, Nov. 23 | Germany vs. Japan | 8 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
Wed, Nov. 23 | Spain vs. CRC/NZ | 11 a.m. | Al Thumama |
Sun, Nov. 27 | Japan vs. CRC/NZ | 5 a.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali |
Sun, Nov. 27 | Spain vs. Germany | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
Thurs, Dec. 1 | Japan vs. Spain | 2 p.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
Thurs, Dec. 1 | CRC/NZ vs. Germany | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
The four teams selected into the group will play a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. Group standings are based on points from those three group-stage matches — three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss.
WORLD CUP DRAW BREAKDOWNS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group F | Group G | Group H
The top two teams from each group based on total points advance to the single-game knockouts. If teams are tied on points, goal difference is the first tiebreaker followed by goals scored. If teams are also tied in those categories another set of tiebreakers is applied.
World Cup Group E draw
Spain have been drawn to play in Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar alongside Germany, Japan and the winner of Costa Rica vs New Zealand in intercontinental playoff two.
Here’s a quick snapshot of each team in Group E ahead of the World Cup.
Spain
Spain remain in something of a transitional phase heading into Qatar 2022, as they look to finally emulate the success last enjoyed on the global stage at the 2010 World Cup.
The emergence of prospects such as Pedri, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati bodes well for the future, but it remains to be seen whether Spain will be strong enough to go all the way in Qatar. That said, the Nations League run — where La Roja were only beaten in the final by France — is another good sign.
Coach Luis Enrique hasn’t been afraid to drop big names such as David de Gea and Sergio Busquets from recent squads, with an emphasis on creativity likely to make Spain very difficult to defend against.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 7 (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 5th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 1
- World Cup appearances (last): 15 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: UEFA Group B winners: 6W-1L-1D
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 2W-0L-0D (Goals: 7 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: 10W-2L-6D (Goals: 35 scored / 14 conceded)
- Coach: Luis Enrique (Spain) since November, 2019
- Star players: Jordi Alba (Barcelona / Spain), Rodri (Manchester City / England), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City / England)
Germany
Germany has also been drawn to play in FIFA World Cup 2022 Group E.
Germany will be keen to make amends for a nightmare showing when trying to defend the title at the 2018 World Cup as they enter a major tournament without Joachim Low for the first time in almost two decades.
Low served as assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann when Die Mannschaft plotted a path to the semi-finals on home soil in 2006, before beginning his own acclaimed 15-year tenure as head coach.
The highlight of that era came as Germany lifted a fourth world title at Brazil 2014 and, after a disappointing European Championship campaign marked Low’s farewell last year, his former assistant Hansi Flick will lead an exciting new generation keen to make amends
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 12 (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 9th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 4
- World Cup appearances (last): 19 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: UEFA Group J winners: 9W-1L-0D
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 1W-0L-1D (Goals: 3 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: 11W-3L-2D (Goals: 50 scored / 13 conceded)
- Coach: Hansi Flick (Germany) since July, 2021
- Star players: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich / Germany), Kai Havertz (Chelsea / England), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich / Germany)
Japan
Japan’s national team has never gone beyond the Round of 16 stage at the World Cup but will be hopeful of enjoying a lengthy run at this year’s tournament.
There is a lot of experience in their squad but there are also some talented young prospects, such as Mallorca’s on-loan Real Madrid winger Takefusa Kubo. In addition, Japan boasts players with Premier League credentials, and many fans around the world will already be familiar with Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu and Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino.
Japan’s preparations for the tournament have gone well, having beaten off the challenge of Australia to qualify automatically in the AFC region, but it remains to be seen how well the Samurai Blue will fare when they come up against stronger opposition.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 23 (March. 2022)
- Regional ranking: 2nd (AFC)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 7 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: (AFC Third Round Group B winners: 7W-2L-1D)
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 3W-0L-1D (Goals: 7 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: 10W-2L-0D (Goals: 39 scored / 5 conceded)
- Coach: Hajime Moriyasu (Japan) since August 2018
- Star players: Takumi Minamino (Liverpool / England), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal / England), Maya Yoshida (Sampdoria / Italy)
Costa Rica / New Zealand
Costa Rica and New Zealand will meet in June in a one-off intercontinental playoff match to decide which side will occupy one of the last spots still up for grabs at the finals.
Costa Rica’s fate will be decided by playoff after finishing fourth in CONCACAF qualifying. International veterans Keylor Navas and Bryan Ruiz will hope to work their tournament magic once again to send Los Ticos through.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 31 (March 2022)
- Regional ranking: 3rd (CONCACAF)
- World Cup appearances (last): 5 (Russia 2018)
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 5W-0L-1D (Goals: 7 scored / 1 conceded)
- 2021: 5W-6L-7D (Goals: 14 scored / 18 conceded)
- Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez (Colombia) since July, 2021
- Star players: Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain / France), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense / Costa Rica), Joel Campbell (Monterrey / Mexico)
New Zealand will also get an opportunity to reach the World Cup for the third time in the country’s history, after coming through the OFC region. A 5-0 win against the Solomon Islands set up the winner-take-all clash, with target man Chris Wood scoring in that match, held in Doha. The Newcastle man — with 33 national team goals at senior level — will likely have to be the difference-maker again if the All Whites are to complete the job.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 101 (March, 2022)
- Regional ranking: 1st (OFC)
- World Cup appearances (last): 2 (South Africa 2010)
- Overall record (all competitions & friendlies):
- 2022: 5W-1L-0D (Goals: 19 scored / 4 conceded)
- 2021: 3W-0L-0D (Goals: 5 scored / 1 conceded)
- Coach: Danny Hay (New Zealand) since August, 2019
- Star players: Chris Wood (Newcastle United / England), Joe Bell (Brondby / Denmark), Winston Reid (Unattached)
Teams to advance from World Cup Group E
Shortly after the World Cup Draw, sportsbooks are expected to hang group odds for each team to advance from the group stage.
MORE WORLD CUP 2022:
Full draw results | TV schedule | Latest news
The first-place and second-place finishers in Group E will move on to the Round of 16 and will face off against the two teams to advance from Group F on Monday, Dec. 5, and Tuesday, Dec. 6.
The official FIFA 2022 World Cup match schedule outlines the following knockout pairings for the Round of 16 through to the final:
World Cup Round of 16
Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
Sat, Dec. 3 | 1A vs. 2B | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
Sat, Dec. 3 | 1C vs. 2D | 2 p.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali |
Sun, Dec. 4 | 1D vs. 2C | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
Sun, Dec. 4 | 1B vs. 2A | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
Mon, Dec. 5 | 1E vs. 2F | 10 a.m. | Al Janoub |
Mon, Dec. 5 | 1G vs. 2H | 2 p.m. | Stadium 974 |
Tues, Dec. 6 | 1F vs. 2E | 10 a.m. | Education City |
Tues, Dec. 6 | 1H vs. 2G | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
World Cup Quarterfinals
Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
Fri, Dec. 9 | QF1: 1E/2F vs. 1G/2H | 10 a.m. | Education City |
Fri, Dec. 9 | QF2: 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
Sat, Dec. 10 | QF3: 1F/2E vs. 1H/2G | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
Sat, Dec. 10 | QF4: 1B/2A vs. 1D/2C | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup Semifinals
Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
Tues, Dec. 13 | QF2 vs. QF1 | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
Wed, Dec. 14 | QF4 vs. QF3 | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup 3rd Place
Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
Sat, Dec. 17 | Semifinal losers | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
World Cup Final
Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
Sun, Dec. 18 | Semifinal winners | 10 a.m. | Lusail |
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