Two more European countries locked up their spots in the 2022 World Cup field as Portugal downed North Macedonia and Poland made it past Sweden on Tuesday.
Portugal and Poland claimed spots through UEFA’s revamped playoff format which allowed qualifying group runner-ups, and the two highest-ranking UEFA Nations League group winners who failed to finish in the top two in the European Qualifiers, a chance to remain in contention for a World Cup berth. There are three separate playoff routes, or “paths”, and Portugal and Poland emerged from two of them.
Here is the complete list of European countries that have qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar so far:
Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Serbia
Spain, Switzerland, Portugal and Poland.
One final spot is still expected to be given out to a European national team, but will not be a decided for a few more months. That’s the result of the playoff semifinal between Ukraine and Scotland being postponed until June after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in late February.
The winner of that game will advance to play Wales in a playoff final, with the winner claiming the continent’s final spot in the 2022 World Cup.
The World Cup draw ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. local time in Doha, Qatar on Friday, April 1.
