1.0 Everything You Need to Know About The 2022 FIFA World Cup

Finally, after the long battle with Covid, isolation, and international restrictions, the football scene is resuming its thrilling pace. Football fans are welcoming the FIFA World Cup back to the world stage this time. This year's 2022 FIFA World Cup is the 22nd edition of the most prestigious competition. It will run from November 20 to December 18 in Qatar, making it the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Arab world. It will surely be just as exciting and nerve-wracking as the previous tournaments.

Stick around to read more on the 2022 FIFA World Cup. You don't want to miss our guide to FIFA 2022 Betting Malaysia. We guarantee you'll end up much wiser - and hopefully much richer after placing your bets with us on WinningWorld Malaysian Sportsbook Provider. There is definitely something for everyone on WinningWorld.

2.0 FIFA World Cup History and Facts

If you don't already know, the FIFA World Cup is an international football competition participated by men's teams of members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Usually held every four years, the matches of this elite competition will be played in the host nation(s) stadiums for a month. Teams have to compete in what we call the FIFA World Cup qualifications to play in the final tournament of the FIFA World Cup. This process dictates the 31 of the 32 teams that will compete in the most anticipated tournament in football history, all while the host nation qualifies automatically. Six football confederations are the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Confederation of Africa Football (CAF), Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) are in charge of organising the matches for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The qualification format differs from confederations, but only one or two places are usually given to the winners of the international play-offs.

3.0 FIFA World Cup Past Winners

Get to know the crowning glories of the FIFA World Cup.

Year	Winners	Runners-up
1930	Uruguay	Argentina
1934	Italy	Czechoslovakia
1938	Italy	Hungary
1950	Uruguay	Brazil
1954	West Germany	Hungary
1958	Brazil	Sweden
1962	Brazil	Czechoslovakia
1966	England	West Germany
1970	Brazil	Italy
1974	West Germany	The Netherlands
1978	Argentina	The Netherlands
1982	Italy	West Germany
1986	Argentina	West Germany
1990	West Germany	Argentina
1994	Brazil	Italy
1998	France	Brazil
2002	Brazil	Germany
2006	Italy	France
2010	Spain	The Netherlands
2014	Germany	Argentina
2018	France	Croatia

First, on the list, we have Brazil, who won five titles in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. Germany shares second place with Italy by winning four titles each. Germany was the champion in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014 and Italy was the champion in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Third, we have Argentina, champion in 1978 and 1986, France, champion in 1998 and 2018, and Uruguay, champion in 1930 and 1950. The remaining winners are England and Spain, with one title each in 1966 and 2010.

4.0 2022 FIFA World Cup Participants

The 2022 FIFA World Cup will feature 32 teams that will be divided into 8 groups, A to H. Each group contains four teams.
The groups are as follows:

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

4.1 Teams based on confederations

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) : 6 teams

• Australia
• Iran
• Japan
• Qatar (host)
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea

Confederation of Africa Football (CAF): 5 teams

• Cameroon
• Ghana
• Morocco
• Senegal
• Tunisia

Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF): 4 teams

• Canada
• Costa Rica
• Mexico
• United States

South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL): 4 teams

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Ecuador
• Uruguay

Oceania Football Confederation (OFC): None qualified

Union of European Football Associations (UEFA): 13 teams

• Belgium
• Croatia
• Denmark
• England
• France
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Serbia
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Wales

4.2 How are the matches played?

There will be two stages to this competition: the group stage and the knockout stage.

4.2.1 Group Stage

During the group stage, groups will participate in the round-robin event. This means that each team will play against the other three teams in the same group. In total, there will be six matches played for each group. At the final round of the group stage, matches of each group are to be played concurrently. This is to warrant fair play for all four teams in each group.

Points will be awarded at the end of each game to determine the ranking of the teams within each group. The teams with the highest points within each group (top two teams) can have the hope of fighting for the title in the knockout stage.

Points awarded to teams based on the outcome of a match:

The outcome	Points
Win	3
Draw	1
Lost	0

4.2.2 Knockout Stage

The knockout stage consists of single-elimination matches in which teams will play against each other. The winner of each group will compete against the runner-up of another group in what we call the round of 16. The Group A winner will go against the Group B runner-up and the like. The winner of each match will progress to later stages in the competition, which are the quarter-finals, third-place match, semi-finals, and the final, to reign victorious as the FIFA World Cup champion.

You should note that for matches in the knockout stage, extra time will be awarded twice in the event a match is even at the normal time. This is followed by a penalty to determine the winner of the match if it still ends tied after the two periods of extra time.

4.2.3 Rules

4.2.3.1 Substitutions

15 substitutes on the bench can be decided for each game, which is to be decided by the managers. Switches can be made during the periods of extra time, even tho teams have reached the maximum number of substitutions.

4.2.3.2 Suspensions

Players can be sent off if they have an accumulation of yellows or straight red cards, which results in a one-match suspension. This goes to players who receive two bookings in separate games as well.

5.0 2022 FIFA World Cup Favourites: Teams, Players and Underdogs

5.1 Predicted Teams to Win

Now, for the question of the year (or four years for those die-hard fans, no one is judging); Who will reign champion for this year's FIFA World Cup? There seems to be lots of teams being named as favourites. At WinningWorld, we have narrowed the list for our top 5 predictions. Be sure to place your bets on the FIFA World Cup 2022 Malaysia with WinningWorld now!

Brazil
They are a favourite for a reason. As the most successful team in World Cup history, the Brazilian national team does not lack skill, experience, and pace. Having the likes of Liverpool's number 1 goalkeeper, Alisson, and PSG's forward, Neymar Jr. will surely boost some morale in the team. After their defeat by Argentina in the 2021 Copa America final, the Seleção are determined to snatch back their much-deserved spotlight and glory. We will most likely see Brazil cruise in Group G when they face Cameroon, Serbia, and Switzerland.

France
The defending champion is ready to pick up another title and prove all of us wrong about the 'holder's curse' which had them knocked out from the group stages in the 2002 World Cup after their first World Cup title in 1998. With the football prodigy Kylian Mbappe and experienced players like Karim Benzema and Paul Pogba, the Les Blues is a favourite to win the World Cup once more. They will face Australia, Denmark, and Tunisia in Group D.

England
The Three Lions are ready to make their fans proud. They have performed quite well lately by reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the finals of the 2020 Euro. A team with world-class players like Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson, and Bukayo Saka, they have enough experience and creativity to close their chapter of 'nearly moments'. England will face Iran, United States, and Wales in Group B.

Argentina
Confidence is flying high for the Albicelestes, and part of it is thanks to their impressive winning streak. Scaloni's Argentina is just 2 games away from beating Italy's record of 37 unbeaten games. Their most notable wins in recent years are the 2021 Copa America final against Brazil and this year's Finalissima against Italy. We can only hope they will continue their streak and create a new world record while pursuing the 2022 FIFA World Cup title. Argentina is in Group C alongside Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland.

Spain
It's been 12 years since Spain won its first ever FIFA World Cup title, and the current generation of silverware-hungry players are wanting to add another to their names. We've seen some subpar performances from them in the past two World Cups, but the current team under Enrique is picking up the pace and showing some solid performances in recent years. Spain reached the semi-finals of the 2020 Euro but was eventually defeated by Italy on penalties and emerged as runners-up in this year's Nations League, losing to France. It's all full steam ahead in Group E as Spain will face Germany, Costa Rica, and Japan. Let’s hope we will witness higher intensity plays from Spain this year.

5.2 Players to Watch

The FIFA World Cup is the place for players to take centre stage. We are sure that there won't be a shortage of amazing and skilled players this year. There seem to be lots of buzz going on about certain players. WinningWorld Sports Betting Malaysia has listed some players you should keep your eye on for the whole month.

Kylian Mbappe (France)
The current PSG forward emerged in the spotlight of the 2018 World Cup after his very impressive performances. He's the youngest goalscorer for France in the World Cup at only the age of 19. Besides, he was also named man of the match against Argentina by winning 4-3 which he scored 2 goals. He has been compared to the great Pelé in the 2018 World Cup as he was the only teenager to score two goals in a World Cup match and a goal in a World Cup final since Pelé. It is no surprise that he was named FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award. He is indeed a star to look out for. We would only hope that he continues to be in good form and firing jaw-dropping goals.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)
It is no surprise that Argentina's all-time top scorer is none other than the goat himself, Lionel Messi. With 88 goals in 163 appearances, he seems fit and ready to take his nation to glory. This was true when we saw him scoring four goals to help Argentina win the 2021 Copa America. As this could be his last World Cup, it'll be no surprise that he will be giving his all and showcasing to the world how much he wants the most prestigious accolade in football history. Let's see what is in store for Lionel Messi and his team in Qatar.

Sadio Mane (Senegal)
Recently transferred to Bayern Munich from Liverpool, the winger has been impressive in his international appearance by scoring four goals and assisting two in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He is now Senegal's all-time top goal scorer with 32 goals after scoring a hat-trick for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification 3-1 win match against Benin. Mane has shown his skill and technical abilities after converting the decisive penalty to secure Senegal's position at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He proves to us that not only is he fired for his club but also his national team. Focused and determined, he is eager to make history for Senegal in this year's World Cup.

5.3 Underdogs of the Competition

Denmark
The Danes should be on your radar in this year's FIFA World Cup as they have shown steady performances during the 2020 Euro. The team reached the semi-finals but was eventually defeated by England. Many were scared that Christian Eriksen's on-field cardiac arrest on June 12, 2021, would cause shadow and trauma on the team, but they have responded well by producing a good qualifying campaign - with a few games to spare. This proves that the Danes have the resilience, strength, and collective force to overcome any obstacle that is in their way. Denmark will face defending champions France, Australia, and Tunisia in Group D. They are to face a serious test, but we are sure the Red and White will not give up.

Senegal
When we talk about Senegal, the first thing that comes to all of our minds is Sadio Mane and Édouard Mendy. However, Senegal is more than that. They made an impressionable first World Cup appearance in 2002 by beating France in the group stage. As a result, France did not proceed to the knockout stage, while Senegal reached the quarter-finals, only to lose to Turkey by one goal. Fast forward to twenty years, and Senegal qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup as their third appearance. Recently crowned champions for the African Cup of Nations for beating Egypt by penalties, the Lions of Teranga are eager to show everyone why they are King of Africa. Be sure to keep an eye out for them! Senegal will face host nation Qatar and other teams, Ecuador and the Netherlands in Group A.

Netherlands
Absent in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Dutch national team is determined to make this year's tournament count. They once had fantastic performances at the FIFA World Cup, reaching the finals in 1974, 1978, and 2010. They are back once more for their eleventh appearance with outstanding players like Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, and Memphis Depay. With 14 unbeaten matches in their UEFA Nations League run, the Oranje has risen in the FIFA men's world ranking to 8th. Would this year be the year for them to take revenge and clench a title for themselves? That's what we hope to find out. The Netherlands will face Qatar, Ecuador, and Senegal in Group A.

6.0 2022 FIFA World Cup Betting Guide

Get your 2022 FIFA World Cup Betting Malaysia Outright to win Odds, courtesy of WinningWorld Sportsbook Malaysia.
Remember to place your bets with us to get the best.

Check out the best odds in WBet Sportsbook Malaysia as well ! As we two different sportsbook provider, which is WBet Sportsbook and ONEBook Sportsbook

*Odds are provided by ONEBook sportsbook Malaysia, as of 04/11/2022 07:53:27AM (GMT+8). Do note that the odds differ as they will be updated in real-time.

*FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 (IN QATAR) - WINNER
Country	Odds
Brazil	5
Argentina	6.5
France	7
England	8.5
Spain	10
Germany	11
Netherlands	12
Belgium	17
Portugal	17
Denmark	31
Croatia	51
Uruguay	51
Senegal	81
Switzerland	81
Mexico	151
Poland	151
Serbia	151
USA	151
Ecuador	151
Wales	151
Australia	251
Cameroon	251
Canada	251
Ghana	251
Japan	251
Morocco	251
Korea Republic	251
Qatar	351
Tunisia	351
Costa Rica	801
Iran	801
Saudi Arabia	801

7.0 2022 FIFA World Cup Matches and Schedule

Check out the matches lined up for this year's FIFA World Cup! Place your bets on WinningW Online Sports Betting Malaysia quickly for each match.

Note: All matches are in Malaysian time (GMT+8)

Monday, November 21

Group A

• Qatar v Ecuador — Al Bayt Stadium, 12 am

Group B

• England v Iran — Khalifa International Stadium, 9 pm

Tuesday, November 22

Group A

• Senegal v Netherlands — Al Thumama Stadium, 12 am

Group B

• USA v Wales — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 3 am

Group C

• Argentina v Saudi Arabia — Lusail Stadium, 6 pm

Group D

• Denmark v Tunisia — Education City Stadium, 9 pm

Wednesday, November 23

Group C

• Mexico v Poland — Stadium 974, 12am

Group D

• France v Australia — Al Janoub Stadium, 3 am

Group F

• Morocco v Croatia — Al Bayt Stadium, 6 pm

Group E

• Germany v Japan — Khalifa International Stadium, 9 pm

Thursday, November 24

Group E

• Spain v Costa Rica — Al Thumama Stadium, 12 am

Group F

• Belgium v Canada — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 3 am

Group G

• Switzerland v Cameroon — Al Janoub Stadium, 6 pm

Group H

• Uruguay v South Korea — Education City Stadium, 9 pm

Friday, November 25

Group H

• Portugal v Ghana — Stadium 974, 12 am

Group G

• Brazil v Serbia — Lusail Stadium, 3am

Group B

• Wales v Iran — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 6 pm

Group A

• Qatar v Senegal — Al Thumama Stadium, 9 pm

Saturday, November 26

Group A

• Netherlands v Ecuador — Khalifa International Stadium, 12 am

Group B

• England v USA — Al Bayt Stadium, 3 am

Group D

• Tunisia v Australia — Al Janoub Stadium, 6 pm

Group C

• Poland v Saudi Arabia — Education City Stadium, 9 pm

Sunday, November 27

Group D

• France v Denmark — Stadium 974, 12 am

Group C

• Argentina v Mexico — Lusail Stadium, 3 am

Group E

• Japan v Costa Rica — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 6 pm

Group F

• Belgium v Morocco — Al Thumama Stadium, 9 pm

Monday, November 28

Group F

• Croatia v Canada — Khalifa International Stadium, 12am

Group E

• Spain v Germany — Al Bayt Stadium, 3 am

Group G

• Cameroon v Serbia — Al Janoub Stadium, 6 pm

Group H

• South Korea v Ghana — Education City Stadium, 9 pm

Tuesday, November 29

Group G

• Brazil v Switzerland — Stadium 974, 12 am

Group H

• Portugal v Uruguay — Lusail Stadium, 3am

Group A

• Netherlands v Qatar — Al Bayt Stadium, 11 pm
• Ecuador v Senegal — Khalifa International Stadium, 11 pm

Wednesday, November 30

Group B

• Iran v USA — Al Thumama Stadium, 3 am
• Wales v England — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 3 am

Group D

• Australia v Denmark — Al Janoub Stadium, 11 pm
• Tunisia v France — Education City Stadium, 11 pm

Thursday, December 1

Group C

• Poland v Argentina — Stadium 974, 3 am
• Saudi Arabia v Mexico — Lusail Stadium, 3 am

Group F

• Croatia v Belgium — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 11 pm
• Canada v Morocco — Al Thumama Stadium, 11 pm

 

Friday, December 2

Group E

• Japan v Spain — Khalifa International Stadium, 3 am
• Costa Rica v Germany — Al Bayt Stadium, 3 am

Group H

• Ghana v Uruguay — Al Janoub Stadium, 11 pm
• South Korea v Portugal — Education City Stadium, 11 pm

Saturday, December 3

Group G

• Serbia v Switzerland — Stadium 974, 3 am
• Cameroon v Brazil — Lusail Stadium, 3 am

Round of 16

• Match 49 — Group A winner v Group B runner-up — Khalifa International Stadium, 11 pm

Sunday, December 4

Round of 16

• Match 50 — Group C winner v Group D runner-up — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 3 am
• Match 52 — Group D winner v Group C runner-up — Al Thumama Stadium, 11 pm

Monday, December 5

Round of 16

• Match 51 — Group B winner v Group A runner-up — Al Bayt Stadium, 3 am
• Match 53 — Group E winner v Group F runner-up — Al Janoub Stadium, 11 pm

Tuesday, December 6

Round of 16

• Match 54 — Group G winner v Group H runner-up — Stadium 947, 3 am
• Match 55 — Group F winner v Group E runner-up — Education City Stadium, 11 pm

Wednesday, December 7

Round of 16

• Match 56 — Group H winner v Group G runner-up — Lusail Stadium, 3 am

Friday, December 9

Quarter-finals

• Match 58 — Match 53 winner v Match 54 winner — Education City Stadium, 11 pm

Saturday, December 10

Quarter-finals

• Match 57 — Match 49 winner v Match 50 winner — Lusail Stadium, 3 am
• Match 60 — Match 55 winner v Match 56 winner — Al Thumama Stadium, 11 pm

Sunday, December 11

Quarter-finals

• Match 59 — Match 51 winner v Match 52 winner — Al Bayt Stadium, 3 am

Wednesday, December 14

Semi-finals

• Match 61 — Match 57 winner v Match 58 winner — Lusail Stadium, 3 am

Thursday, December 15

Semi-finals

• Match 62 — Match 59 winner v Match 60 winner — Al Bayt Stadium, 3 am

Saturday, December 17

Third-place play-off

• Match 63 — Khalifa International Stadium, 11 pm

Sunday, December 18

2022 World Cup Final

• Match 64 — Lusail Stadium, 11 pm

8.0 Did You Know?

Let's get to know some interesting facts about the FIFA World Cup!

1. The mascot trend began in the 1966 World Cup in England. World Cup Willie was a lion mascot that wore a Union Jack jersey. This year's mascot is La'eeb, a fun character that resembles a cloth headdress commonly worn in Qatar. According to the team that designed La'eeb, which translates to a super-skilled player, he is meant to be anything you want him to be, a part of your imagination. All you have to do is just use your creativity!
2. Only teams from Europe and South America have won the FIFA World Cups. No teams from other continents have won the title.
3. The winning team gets to keep the genuine cup until the next tournament. After that, the team gets to permanently keep a gold-plated replica.
4. The format for participating teams was 16 teams in 1978 and 24 in 1994. This will be the last year to use the 32-team format, which will be replaced by the 48-teams format for the 2026 World Cup.
5. We will see the World Cup hosted by more than one nation for the second time in the 2026 World Cup. The first time was held in 2002, hosted by Japan and South Korea. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
6. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa became the first World Cup to be televised in each country across the globe.
7. The most goals scored in a single match was in the quarter-finals between Austria and Switzerland in the 1954 World Cup. The match ended with Austria 7:5 Switzerland.
8. Just Fontaine scored the most goals in a single FIFA World Cup tournament, with thirteen goals in six matches for the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
9. Miroslav Klose scored the most goals in FIFA World Cup history with 16 goals in 24 matches across four editions which are the 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014 FIFA World Cup.
10. Brazil is the only nation that has qualified for every World Cup finals tournament.