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World Cup 2024 Guide

The World Cup is a competition for international soccer teams which takes place every four years. It is a renowned tournament in sports history. The game began in 1930 and has seen different exciting matches through the years. 


Qatar is getting ready to play host to the 2022 World Cup, which has created a lot of anticipation for the tournament. As you are our favourite reader, we have prepared this guide specifically for you as a special treat. Continue reading to learn more about the 2022 World Cup and how to place successful wagers.

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⚽The Best Soccer World Cup Betting Sites in South Africa

Table of Contents

When and Where Is the World Cup in 2024?

Soccer World Cup

Soccer World Cup 2022 will take place in Qatar. Doha, the nation's capital, and surrounding areas will serve as the host cities for all the matches. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be the first time the tournament isn’t held in May, June, or July. Instead, the game will take place between 20th November to 18th December. This implies that the competition will last for close to one calendar month.

2024 Soccer World Cup Venue: 8 Spectacular Stadiums

All the eight stadiums for the 2022 World Cup are fully ready to be used. We must say that we are intrigued by their structures. All of these stadiums are within a 55-km radius of Doha, making it possible for fans to watch multiple games in a single day. Even though the tournament will take place in Autumn, Qatar has pledged to provide fully air-conditioned stadiums to combat the heat. 

The training facilities, world cup venues and fan zone in Qatar are all equipped with solar-powered cooling technology. This aids in maintaining a constant temperature of 27 degrees Celsius within these spaces.

Lusail Iconic Stadium

Lusail Stadium, often referred to as Lusail Iconic Stadium, will play an essential role as a venue for the World Cup in Qatar. The stadium is designated to be opened to the public officially in 2022. It has the largest capacity among the eight venues that will be used for the World Cup(80,000). It will also be the busiest, hosting ten matches in total. The stadium is scheduled to host six matches in the first round of group play. It will also host a game in each knockout round, including a semifinal and the final game. The structure and façade of the building are inspired by elaborate themes found in art and furnishings from the Arab and Islamic worlds.

Al Bayt Stadium

The opening ceremony and the first match of the World Cup 2022 between Qatar and Ecuador will take place in the Al Bayt Stadium. It is also scheduled to host nine of the tournament's matches. The facility is the second largest of all the host venues in Qatar, with a capacity of 60,000. It is notable for having a massive tent structure covering the entire stadium.

Stadium 974

Doha, the capital and largest city of Qatar, is home to Stadium 974. In addition to having a capacity for 40,000 spectators, it will play host to seven matches during the 2022 World Cup. Teams from Groups C, D, G, and H will compete in the brand-new venue. The 40,000-seat stadium, which is mostly made of shipping containers, will be demolished after the World Cup. After which, its components will be used to build a waterfront development for the local community.

Al Thumama Stadium

Al Thumama Stadium was inspired by the traditional qahfiya (the cap worn under the Ghutra and Egal) in Arab culture. This is a recognizable Arab architectural symbol. This design was chosen because it represents a cultural bond shared by Arabs all over the Arab world. The stadium has a capacity of 40,000 seats. However, it’ll be downsized to 20,000 after the tournament.

Khalifa International Stadium

Eight of the World Cup matches will be held in the Khalifa International Stadium which can accommodate about 40,000 spectators. The Qatar national team calls the stadium its home. During the competition, this venue will play host to matches involving teams from Groups A, B, E, and F.

Education City Stadium

One of the three stadiums in Al Rayyan that will play host to matches during the World Cup is the Education City Stadium. In total, there will be eight matches held at this venue. It is one of the seven newly-built stadiums for the 2022 competition, with a capacity of 40,000 seats.

Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium

This stadium is also known as Al-Rayyan Stadium. It was opened in the year 2020, with a capacity of about 40,000 available to accommodate spectators during the World Cup. Following the conclusion of the World Cup, roughly half of those seats will be taken out. Some group matches will be held here, including a round of 16 matches.

Al Janoub Stadium

The stadium was previously known as Al Wakrah Stadium. The design was inspired by the city's heritage of fishing, pearl diving, and traditional dhow boats. After the event, the stadium's capacity will be reduced to 20,000 seats, with the remaining 20,000 donated to football development projects around the world.

Soccer World Cup Qualifiers

The first round of the 2022 World Cup qualification process kicked off on 6th June 2019. The six confederations in charge of organising tournaments are:

  • AFC (Asia)
  • UEFA (Europe) 
  • CONCACAF (North and Central America)
  • CAF (Africa)
  • CONMEBOL (South America)
  • OFC (Oceania)

These confederations coordinate events to allow teams to compete in the World Cup finals. As the tournament's host, Qatar won the competition's automatic bid. The procedure for determining which teams will compete in the soccer World Cup is either organised as a league or knockout tournament. For the league, the organisers will evaluate the fair play points system and rank the teams according to their level of discipline (yellow and red cards).

In knockout competitions, the game goes into extra time if a score is drawn after the two legs tally. If neither team scores during regulation time or overtime, the organisers determine the winner by a shootout from the penalty spot. Each confederation has its unique system for the qualification procedure - it consists of many rounds to narrow the number of final competitors to the maximum available for that confederation.

Qualifying Teams for the World Cup

Below is a list of the countries that qualified for the 2022 World Cup.

UEFA Countries: Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, England, Netherlands, France, Germany, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Wales, and Portugal.

CAF Countries: Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco, and Cameroon.

CONMEBOL Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Uruguay.

AFC Countries: Qatar, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

CONCACAF Countries: Canada, Mexico, USA and Costa Rica

World Cup Draw: The Group Overview

The draw for the group stage of the 2022 World Cup was held on Friday, 1st April 2022. On 31st March, the updated World Rankings went public. They used this to sort the teams into separate pots. Each group of the 2022 World Cup consists of one team from each of the four corresponding pots.

As hosts, Qatar will be placed in Pot 1, where they will be joined by the seven highest-ranked qualified teams from the Men's World Ranking. The draw will begin with Pot 1 and will conclude with Pot 4. Before moving on to the next pot, each one will be completely emptied. The standard procedure is to draw a ball from a team pot, followed by a ball from one of the group pots, determining the position in which the team will play. 

Below is a list of the 32 teams in their respective groups of four:

  • Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands.
  • Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales
  • Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland.
  • Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia.
  • Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan.
  • Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia.
  • Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon.
  • Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea.

Following the playoff, the OFC was left without a representative in Qatar after New Zealand lost to Costa Rica.

World Cup Schedule

Below is the Soccer World Cup 2022 schedule based on South African time:  

Group Stage 

November 20

Group A: Qatar vs Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 21

Group B: England vs Iran (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group A: Senegal vs Netherlands (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 6:00 pm)

Group B: USA vs Wales (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 22

Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 12:00 pm)

Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group C: Mexico vs Poland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 6:00 pm)

Group D: France vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 23

Group F: Morocco vs Croatia (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 12:00 pm)

Group E: Germany vs Japan (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group E: Spain vs Costa Rica (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 6:00 pm)

Group F: Belgium vs Canada (Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 24

Group G: Switzerland vs Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 12:00 pm)

Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group H: Portugal vs Ghana (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 6:00 pm)

Group G: Brazil vs Serbia matchup (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 25

Group B: Wales vs Iran (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 12:00 pm)

Group A: Qatar vs Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group A: Netherlands vs Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 6:00 pm)

Group B: USA vs England (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 26

Group C: Tunisia vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 12:00 pm)

Group C: Poland vs Saudi Arabia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group D: France vs Denmark (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 6:00 pm)

Group C: Argentina vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 27

Group E: Japan vs Costa Rica (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 12:00 pm)

Group F: Belgium vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group F: Canada vs Croatia (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 6: 00 pm)

Group E: Spain vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 28 

Group G: Cameroon vs Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 12:00 pm)

Group G: South Korea vs Ghana (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3:00 pm)

Group H: Brazil vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 6:00 pm)

Group H: Portugal vs Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 29

Group A: Netherlands vs Qatar (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 5:00 pm)

Group A: Ecuador vs Senegal (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 5:00 pm)

Group B: England vs Wales (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 9:00 pm)

Group B: Iran vs the United States (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)


November 30

Group D: Australia vs Denmark (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 5:00 pm)

Group D: France vs Tunisia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 5:00 pm)

Group C: Poland vs Argentina (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 9:00 pm)

Group C: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 9:00 pm)


December 1

Group F: Croatia vs Belgium (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; by 5:00 pm)

Group F: Canada vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 5:00 pm)

Group E: Costa Rica vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)

Group E: Japan vs Spain (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 9:00 pm)


December 2

Group G: South Korea vs Portugal (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 5:00 pm)

Group G: Ghana vs Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 5:00 pm)

Group H: Serbia vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 9:00 pm)

Group H: Cameroon vs Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 9:00 pm)


Round of 16

December 3 

49 -Winners of Group A vs Runners-up of Group B (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off is at 5:00 pm)

50 - Champions of Group C vs Runners-Up of Group D (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 9:00 pm)


December 4

52 - Champions of Group D vs Runners-up of Group C (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 5:00 pm)

51 -  Champions of Group B vs Runners-Up of Group A (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)


December 5

53 - Champions of Group E vs Runners-Up of Group F (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 5:00 pm)

54 - Champions of Group G vs Runners-Up of Group H(Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 9:00 pm)


December 6

55 - Champions of Group F compete against Runners-Up of Group E (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 5:00 pm)

56 - Champion of Group H compete against Runners-Up of Group G (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 9:00 pm)


Quarter-finals

December 9

58 - Winners of 53 vs winners of 54 (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 5:00 pm)

57 -  Winners of 49 vs winners of 50 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 9:00 pm)


December 10

60 - Winners of 55 vs winners of 56 (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 5:00 pm)

59 - Winners of 51 vs Winners of 52 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)


Semi-finals

December 13

61 - Winners of 57 face off against winners of 58 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 9:00 pm)


December 14

62 - Winners of 59 compete against winners of 60 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 9:00 pm)


December 17

63 - Playoff for third place (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 5:00 pm)


Final

December 18

64 - The World Cup final (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 5:00 pm)

World Cup 2022 Predictions

Brazil is the top favourite of most 2022 World Cup predictions. However, Brazil has a mixed record compared to most European countries. As a result, another European team may win the World Cup. France, England, and Argentina also have high odds of winning the competition.

The following nations are projected to advance to the semifinals of the World Cup in 2022: 

  • Argentina 
  • Brazil
  • France
  • Germany
  • Belgium 
  • Netherlands
  • England
  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • Croatia
  • Uruguay

World Cup Odds & How to Read Them

Below are the 2022 World Cup odds.

CountryOdds

Brazil

+450

France

+550

England

+600

Spain

+700

Germany

+1000

Argentina

+1000

Belgium

+1200

Portugal

+1200

Netherlands

+1400

Denmark

+2800

Croatia

+3500

Uruguay

+5000

Poland

+6500

Senegal

+6500

USA

+8000

Serbia

+8000

Switzerland

+8000

Mexico

+10000

Wales

+10000

Ghana

+15000

Ecuador

+15000

Morocco

+20000

Cameroon

+25000

Canada

+25000

Japan

+25000

Qatar

+25000

Tunisia

+30000

South Korea

+40000

Australia

+40000

Iran

+50000

Saudi Arabia

+50000

Costa Rica

+100000

To understand the odds better, we’ll be explaining the types of football odds available and how to read them for an effective betting strategy.

Fractional Odds - Common in UK and Ireland

Bookmakers in Great Britain and Ireland frequently use odds expressed as fractions. In most cases, a hyphen (-) or a forward slash (/). A fractional listing of odds of 6/1 would indicate that you win R6 for every R1 you stake. You would also get your initial R1 investment back, which means you will receive your stake (R1) in addition to the profit (R6), resulting in a total payout of R7. 

American Odds - The Money Line Odds

You can also call this the money line odds. These odds are denoted by a plus (+) or minus (-) sign. The plus sign indicates the event that has a lower probability but a higher payout. A minus sign tells you how much money you have to wager to win R100. 

The odds for the underdogs are denoted with a plus sign (+), revealing the amount of money gained for every R100 a player wagers. In either scenario, winners receive the amount they initially wagered plus the amount won. The disparity in odds between the favourite and the underdog is more expansive as the likelihood of victory for the favourite increases.

Decimal Odds 

The use of decimal odds is common in Europe, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. These are a little less complicated to deal with and comprehend. Simply looking at the odds will immediately reveal who the favourites and underdogs are in any given situation. The number displayed as decimal odds indicates how much you can win for each dollar wagered. 

The number in decimal odds indicates the entire payment rather than the profit, which means your bet is already factored into the decimal number. Therefore, there is no need to add back your bet when calculating your payout. This makes the calculation of its total payout much simpler.

World Cup Betting: Popular Types of Bets

Various betting options are available to punters who would love to wager on the 2022 World Cup. Below are some popular types of football bets you’ll find online.

Goals

Although picking the correct result is highly challenging; the Goals market offer huge cash prizes. There are several goal-based markets, and some of them are Over/Under, Asian Total, and Total Team Goals. The World Cup may be a little easier to predict for an Over/Under wager since bettors are liable to spot occasions with wide score margins.

Corners

The Corners Market is another great option to consider. Corner betting involves predicting the number of corners that will be taken or the teams that will take them. You can check the market when there’s an extreme favourite for a specific matchup. In the World Cup, there is a likelihood of more corners if one of the stronger teams meets one of the weak teams.

World Cup Top Scorer Betting

The Top Scorer is the same as the Golden Boot, which is a trophy awarded to the player with the most goals in the World Cup. When wagering on the Golden Boot, make sure to check strikers you anticipate will go far in the game. The favourites to win the award this year include Harry Kane, Christiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, Lionel Messi, and Karim Benzema.

In-Game Betting

Betting on a game while still in progress is referred to as in-game betting. During the actual game, the odds posted by sportsbooks will often only shift when there is a timeout or a commercial break. Many soccer fans discover that holding out on placing their bets until the game has started gives them an advantage. In-game betting helps you to assess the style of play. You can also determine whether one team is controlling the game.


Most bet markets are the same as those available before kick-off but with slightly changed odds. The 1 X 2 market will be available until one team scores a few more goals than the other. Once the game starts, you can anticipate markets like Next Team to Score, Over / Under Goals, Over / Under Cards, and Next Player to Score.

How to Place Soccer World Cup Bets?

You must first understand the betting markets to place wagers on soccer World Cup odds. Take your time to consider the betting options and study the teams. After considering the necessary factors, choose a reliable bookmarker and register an account on the site. Select a game or futures market you wish to bet on, then click on it - the bookmarker will add your selection to the bet slip. Check your bet slip again to be sure there are no errors. You can then choose an amount to wager and click the confirmation button.

Essential Tips

As a player intending to bet on the World Cup, there are a few tips to know if you must be on the winning side. Some essential strategies for betting on the 2022 World Cup include:

  • Consider a wide range of bet types
  • Search for the best odds
  • Keep a betting record
  • Always focus on vital stats
  • Take advantage of bonus offers
  • Hedge your future bets.

Previous Winners

The soccer World Cup began in 1930. Here is a list of the previous winners from inception till date.

Year

Winner

Result

Runner Up

1930

Uruguay

4-2

Argentina

1934

Italy

2-1 

Czechoslovakia

1938

Italy

4-2

Hungary

1950

Uruguay

2-1

Brazil

1954

West Germany

3-2

Hungary 

1958

Brazil

5-2

Sweden

1962

Brazil

3-1

Czechoslovakia

1966

England

4-2

West Germany

1970

Brazil

4-1

Italy

1974

West Germany

2-1

Netherlands

1978

Argentina

3-1

Netherlands

1982

Italy

3-1

West Germany

1986

Argentina

3-2

West Germany

1990

West Germany

1-0

Argentina

1994

Brazil

0-0 (A.E.T) (PENS:3-2)

Italy

1998

France 

3-0

Brazil

2002

Brazil

2-0

Germany

2006

Italy

1-1(PENS: 5-3)

France

2010

Spain

1-0

Netherlands

2014

Germany

1-0

Argentina

2018

France

4-2

Croatia





FAQs

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What is the date of World Cup 2022?

The World cup 2022 will run for approximately one month, between 20th November to 18th December.

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Can I bet on the 2022 World Cup?

Yes, you can. Virtually all big bookmakers will provide betting odds on the event. You may find various betting markets created specifically for the 2022 World Cup.

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Who are the favourites to win the 2022 World Cup?

Brazil is the favourite team to win this year’s World Cup. Argentina and France also have high odds of taking the gold prize.

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Can betting on soccer be profitable?

Yes, betting on soccer can be profitable when you use the right tips and tricks. However, remember that no bet is sure. It's either a win or a loss. 

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How often is the World Cup held?

The World Cup is an event that takes place every four years.

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When is the next World Cup?

The next soccer World Cup will be held in 2026.

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