Qatar to join in European qualifying for 2022 World Cup

ByPete Hall

Updated 08/12/2020 at 17:56 GMT

Without needing to secure qualification for the 2022 World Cup, Qatar and FIFA have come up with a novel way of getting the host nation some vital match practice, by allowing them to play non-competitive matches in a European group of nations vying to qualify for the 2022 showpiece.

Qatar will compete in Uefa qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, with the hosts using the matches as preparation for the tournament.

The group Qatar will compete in, according to several reports in the British press, is likely to be Group A, which features European champions Portugal and the Republic of Ireland.

The plan is that Qatar can be placed in Group A, one of the groups with five teams rather than six, and will give the hosts essential preparation games ahead of a such a showpiece event for the country and the Middle East.

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Points earned from games against Qatar are unlikely to count towards qualification for their opponents, while this is not completely uncharted territory for Qatar, as they participated in the Copa America in 2019, and are set to be invited back in 2021.

Host nation France also joined a qualification group for Euro 2016 despite having a guaranteed place in the finals.

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