World Cup 2022 countries participating in Qatar

GROUP A

QATAR

Best result: First appearance

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

How they qualified 2022: Automatic as host

Coach: Felix Sanchez (Spain)

Players to watch: Abdelkarim Hassan, Hassan Al-Haydos, Saad Al Sheeb.

ECUADOR

Best result: Round of 16 (2006)

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

How they qualified 2022: Fourth place in South American qualifying group

Coach: Gustavo Alfaro (Argentina)

Players to watch: Piero Hincapie, Moises Caicedo, Pervis Estupinan.

SENEGAL

Best result: Quarterfinals (2002)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: African playoffs

Coach: Aliou Cisse (Senegal)

Players to watch: Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Iliman Ndiaye.

NETHERLANDS

Best result: Runner-up (1974, 1978, 2010)

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group G

Coach: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands)

Players to watch: Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Daley Blind.

GROUP B 

ENGLAND

Best result: Champion (1966)

2018 World Cup: Semifinals

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group I

Coach: Gareth Southgate (England)

Players to watch: Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham.

IRAN

Best result: Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: Won Asian qualifying Group A

Coach: Carlos Queiroz (Portugal)

Players to watch: Sardar Azmoun, Ehsan Hajsafi, Mehdi Taremi.

UNITED STATES

Best result: Semifinals (1930)

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

How they qualified 2022: Third place in CONCACAF qualifying group

Coach: Gregg Berhalter (United States)

Players to watch: Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie.

WALES

Best result: Quarterfinals (1958)

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

How they qualified 2022: European playoffs

Coach: Robert Page (Wales)

Players to watch: Gareth Bale, Daniel James, Aaron Ramsey.

GROUP C

ARGENTINA

Best result: Champion (1978, 1986)

2018 World Cup: Round of 16

How they qualified 2022: Second place in South American qualifying group

Coach: Lionel Scaloni (Argentina)

Players to watch: Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria.

SAUDI ARABIA

Best result: Round of 16 (1994)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: Won Asian qualifying Group B

Coach: Herve Renard (France)

Players to watch: Salem Al-Dawsari, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Salman Al-Faraj.

MEXICO

Best result: Quarterfinals (1970, 1986)

2018 World Cup: Round of 16

How they qualified 2022: Second place in CONCACAF qualifying group

Coach: Gerardo Martino (Argentina)

Players to watch: Guillermo Ochoa, Hirving Lozano, Andres Guardado.

POLAND

Best result: Third place (1974, 1982)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: European playoffs

Coach: Czeslaw Michniewicz (Poland)

Players to watch: Robert Lewandowski, Jan Bednarek, Wojciech Szczesny.

GROUP D

FRANCE

Best result: Champion (1998, 2018)

2018 World Cup: Champion

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group D

Coach: Didier Deschamps (France)

Players to watch: Kylian Mbappe, Raphael Varane, Olivier Giroud.

AUSTRALIA

Best result: Round of 16 (2006)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: Intercontinental playoffs

Coach: Graham Arnold (Australia)

Players to watch: Ajdin Hrustic, Awer Mabil, Mat Ryan.

DENMARK

Best result: Quarterfinals (1998)

2018 World Cup: Round of 16

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group F

Coach: Kasper Hjulmand (Denmark)

Players to watch: Christian Eriksen, Simon Kjaer, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

TUNISIA

Best result: Group stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: African playoffs

Coach: Jalel Kadri (Tunisia)

Players to watch: Ellyes Skhiri, Dylan Bronn, Aissa Laidouni.

GROUP E

SPAIN

Best result: Champion (2010)

2018 World Cup: Round of 16

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group B

Coach: Luis Enrique (Spain)

Players to watch: Pedri Gonzalez, Sergio Busquets, Alvaro Morata.

COSTA RICA

Best result: Quarterfinals (2014)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: Intercontinental playoffs

Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez (Colombia)

Players to watch: Keylor Navas, Bryan Ruiz, Celso Borges.

GERMANY

Best result: Champion (1954, 1974, 1990 as West Germany; 2014)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group J

Coach: Hansi Flick (Germany)

Players to watch: Leroy Sane, Manuel Neuer, Jamal Musiala.

JAPAN

Best result: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018)

2018 World Cup: Round of 16

How they qualified 2022: Second place in Asian qualifying Group B

Coach: Hajime Moriyasu (Japan)

Players to watch: Takumi Minamino, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kaoru Mitoma.

GROUP F

BELGIUM

Best result: Third place (2018)

2018 World Cup: Third place

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group E

Coach: Roberto Martinez (Spain)

Players to watch: Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois.

CANADA

Best result: Group stage (1986)

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

How they qualified 2022: Won CONCACAF qualifying group

Coach: John Herdman (England)

Players to watch: Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Cyle Larin.

MOROCCO

Best result: Round of 16 (1986)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: African playoffs

Coach: Walid Regragui (Morocco)

Players to watch: Achraf Hakimi, Sofiane Boufal, Sofyan Amrabat.

CROATIA

Best result: Final (2018)

2018 World Cup: Final

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group H

Coach: Zlatko Dalic (Croatia)

Players to watch: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic.

GROUP G

BRAZIL

Best result: Champion (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)

2018 World Cup: Quarterfinals

How they qualified 2022: Won South American qualifying group

Coach: Tite (Brazil)

Players to watch: Neymar, Vinicius Jr., Dani Alves.

SERBIA

Best result: Fourth place (1930, 1962 as Yugoslavia)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group A

Coach: Dragan Stojkovic (Serbia)

Players to watch: Dusan Vlahovic, Alejsandar Mitrovic, Dusan Tadic.

SWITZERLAND

Best result:Quarterfinals (1934, 1938, 1954)

2018 World Cup: Round of 16

How they qualified 2022: Won European qualifying Group C

Coach: Murat Yakin (Switzerland)

Players to watch: Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri, Yann Sommer.

CAMEROON

Best result: Quarterfinals (1990)

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

How they qualified 2022: African playoffs

Coach: Rigobert Song (Cameroon)

Players to watch: Vincent Aboubakar, Andre Onana, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

GROUP H

PORTUGAL

Best result:Third place (1966)

2018 World Cup: Round of 16

How they qualified 2022: European playoffs

Coach: Fernando Santos (Portugal)

Players to watch: Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes.

GHANA

Best result: Quarterfinals (2010)

2018 World Cup: Did not qualify

 How they qualified 2022: African playoffs

Coach: Otto Addo (Ghana)

Players to watch: Daniel Amartey, Mohammed Kudus, Andre Ayew.

URUGUAY

Best result:Champion (1930, 1950)

2018 World Cup: Quarterfinals

How they qualified 2022: Third place in South American qualifying group

Coach: Diego Alonso (Uruguay)

Players to watch: Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Federico Valverde.

SOUTH KOREA

Best result: Semifinals (2002)

2018 World Cup: Group stage

How they qualified 2022: Second place in Asian qualifying Group A

Coach: Paulo Bento (Portugal)

Players to watch: Son Heung-min, Hwang Ui-jo, Kim Min-jae.