Wales Set as Final Team in Group B at 2022 FIFA World Cup Alongside USA, England and IR Iran
WALES SET AS FINAL TEAM IN GROUP B AT 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP
ALONGSIDE USA, ENGLAND AND IR IRAN
Wales Defeats Ukraine in UEFA World Cup Qualifying Playoff to Earn Berth to Qatar 2022
CHICAGO (June 5, 2022) – Wales will be the fourth and final team in Group B at the 2022 FIFA World Cup along with the USA, England and IR Iran. Wales won the UEFA Playoff Path A Final with a 1-0 victory against Ukraine to clinch its berth to Qatar.
The U.S. Men’s National Team will open World Cup group play against Wales on Nov. 21 (Fox, Telemundo), face England on Friday, Nov. 25 and finish the first round vs. IR Iran on Nov. 29 (Fox). All three of the USA’s group stage games will kick off at 2 p.m. ET.
Statement from U.S. Soccer on today’s result:
Despite Ukraine falling to Wales, U.S. Soccer has been inspired by the spirit and bravery of their national team. During this horrendous assault against their country, the Ukrainian players provided much needed hope and belief to all of their countrymen and women at home. We are inspired by all of the people of Ukraine and once again provide our unwavering support for our friends within the Ukrainian Association of Football and all people of Ukraine. We stand with you in the pursuit of a proper and peaceful resolution. U.S. Soccer congratulates Wales on its victory tonight to qualify for the FIFA World Cup and are honored that you will be our opponent as we open the tournament on November 21.
The final two World Cup berths will be determined via one-off inter-confederation playoffs later this month in Qatar. Peru will face either Australia or United Arab Emirates in the AFC-CONMEBOL playoff on Monday, June 13, while Costa Rica will take on New Zealand in the Concacaf-OFC playoff on Tuesday, June 14.
2022 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUPS:
Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Group D: France, Intercontinental Playoff 1 (Australia/UAE winner vs. Peru), Denmark, Tunisia
Group E: Spain, Intercontinental Playoff 2 (Costa Rica vs. New Zealand), Germany, Japan
Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, Korea Republic
USA GROUP B SCHEDULE – 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP
Match 1: Wales vs. USA Nov. 21 (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium; Al Rayyan, Qatar; 2 p.m. ET; Fox, Telemundo)
Match 2: England vs. USA Nov. 25 (Al Bayt Stadium; Al Khor, Qatar; 2 p.m. ET; Fox, Telemundo)
Match 3: USA vs. IR Iran Nov. 29 (Al Thumama Stadium; Doha, Qatar, 2 p.m. ET; Fox)
If the USMNT advances out of the group stage, it would face a team from Group A (Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal or Netherlands) on either Dec. 3 or Dec. 4
Utilizing the youngest lineups for World Cup Qualifying in USMNT history, the USA is preparing for its seventh FIFA World Cup since 1990 and 11th overall appearance. The USA has played 33 World Cup games in its history and holds an 8-19-6 all-time record.
USA ALL-TIME RECORD VS. GROUP B OPPONENTS
England: 2-8-1 (9 GF, 39 GA)
IR Iran: 0-1-1 (2 GF, 3 GA
Wales: 1-0-1 (2 GF, 0 GA)
GROUP B OPPONENT PROFILES
Country: ENGLAND
Current FIFA World Ranking: 5
FIFA Trigram: ENG
Language: English
Championship Honors: World Cup (1966)
USMNT Record vs. England: 2-8-1 (9 GF, 39 GA)
World Cup Finals Appearances: 16 – 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
World Cup Record: 29-19-21 (91 GF, 63 GA)
Best World Cup Finish: Champions, 1966
2022 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 1st in UEFA Group I (8-0-2; 39 GF, 3 GA)
Date Qualified: 11/15/2021
Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Harry Kane (12)
Head Coach: Gareth Southgate (England)
Key Players: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City/ENG), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool/ENG), Kyle Walker (Manchester City/ENG), John Stones (Manchester City/ENG)
Fast Facts: U.S. is unbeaten versus England in two World Cup meetings, both in the group stage … The U.S. won 1-0 at Brazil 1950 and played to a 1-1 draw at South Africa 2010 … The last meeting between U.S. and England was a November 15, 2018 international friendly in London at which England won 3-0 … England was the highest scoring team in UEFA World Cup Qualifying with 39 goals … Forward Harry Kane tied Netherlands forward Memphis Depay for most goals scored in UEFA World Cup Qualifying with 12 … Former England international David Beckham won two MLS Cup titles with the Los Angeles Galaxy (2011, 2012) … Beckham is President and Owner of MLS franchise Inter Miami … Former goalkeeper Peter Shilton is England’s most capped player with 125 appearances … Current Nashville SC coach Gary Smith is the only Englishman to have won MLS Cup as a head coach (Colorado Rapids, 2010).
Country: IR IRAN
Current FIFA World Ranking: 21
FIFA Trigram: IRN
Language: Persian
Championship Honors: AFC Asian Cup (1968, 1972, 1976)
USMNT Record vs. Iran: 0-1-1 (2 GF, 3 GA)
World Cup Finals Appearances: 6 – 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022
World Cup Record: 2-9-4 (9 GF, 24 GA)
Best World Cup Finish: 14th, 1978
2022 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 1st in AFC Third Round Group A (8-1-1; 15 GF, 4 GA); Finished 1st in AFC Second Round Group C (6-2-0; 34 GF, 4 GA)
Date Qualified: 1/27/2022
Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Sardar Azmoun (10)
Head Coach: Dragan Skocic (Croatia)
Key Players: Sardar Azmoun (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Karim Ansarifard (AEK Athens/GRE), Mehdi Taremi (Porto/POR), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord/NED), Ehsan Hajsafi (AEK Athens/GRE)
Fast Facts: The lone meeting with the U.S. at a World Cup came in Group F at France 1998, a match Iran won 2-1 … Iran had the second-most goals in AFC World Cup Qualifying with 49 (Japan had 58) … Former Iran defender Andranik Eskandarian played in the NASL from 1978-84 with the New York Cosmos … Eskandarian’s son, Alecko, played with five different teams in MLS and made one appearance with the USMNT … Current Colorado Rapids defender Steven Beitashour appeared in six games with Iran from 2013-14 …. One of the largest recorded crowds in international football history was in 1997 at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium when a reported 128,000 spectators attended Iran’s 1998 World Cup playoff versus Australia … Former forward Ali Daei is Iran’s all-time scoring leader with 109 goals.
Country: WALES
Current FIFA World Ranking: 18
FIFA Trigram: WAL
Language: Welsh, English
Championship Honors: None
USMNT Record vs. Wales: 1-0-1 (2 GF, 0 GA)
World Cup Finals Appearances: 2 – 1958, 2022
World Cup Record: 1-1-3 (4 GF, 4 GA)
Best World Cup Finish: Sixth Place, 1958
2022 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 2nd in UEFA Group E (4-1-3; 14 GF, 9 GA); Defeated Austria in UEFA Playoff Path A Semifinal on March 24; Defeated Ukraine in Path A Final
Date Qualified: 6/5/22
Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Gareth Bale (5)
Head Coach: Rob Page (Wales) — Acting Manager
Key Players: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid/ESP), Aaron Ramsey (Rangers/SCO), Joe Allen (Stoke City/ENG), Chris Gunter (Charlton Athletic/ENG), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG)
Fast Facts: The most recent meeting between the U.S. and Wales was a 0-0 match in an international friendly on November 12, 2020 in Swansea, Wales … Winger Gareth Bale is a four-time winner of the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid … Bale is also Wales’ all-time top scorer with 38 goals … Current defender Chris Gunter is Wales’ most capped player with 108 appearances … Wales’ best finish at a major tournament was a semifinal appearance at UEFA Euro 2016 … Wales’ only previous World Cup appearance came in 1958 and ended with a 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Brazil in which Brazilian legend Pele scored his first World Cup goal as a 17-year-old … Carl Robinson is the only Welsh head coach in MLS history, managing the Vancouver Whitecaps from 2014-18.
– ussoccer.com –