Thanks for joining us for coverage of all that. Here’s a report of the draw and there will be more analysis to come.
The England manager, Gareth Southgate, speaks to the BBC:
The first two teams we’ve not played for quite a while and the third is a total unknown and throws up a possible British derby. We know what they are all about. We’ve had plenty of them. For us, we are clear what our programme is for ending the Premier League season and getting out here as soon as possible. We have to get out of the group, our first objective and we build from there.
In this situation all our thoughts are with the Ukraine and the people of Ukraine so when that tie is played out is irrelevant. It’s for the rest of us to adapt and adjust and provide them with the opportunity as and when they are able to.
We were delayed getting here, and I have not had a lot of time here. We have to build relationships to highlight any changes we would like to make. Today my focus is on the draw and working out what it all means.
When you are seeded you miss out on those big six or seven teams. The US is an interesting one, I know Gregg Berhalter well, we were smiling at the end there.
Stephen Wingrove gets in touch: “Here in Brazil the main TV network, Globo, reckons it’ll be a Brazil v England final!”
Sven Mascarenhas gets in touch on the toughest group: “Group F has an argument - the #1/2 ranked team in Belgium, last time runners up in Croatia, #1 Concacaf qualifier in Canada, and (I believe) easiest qualification out of Africa in Morocco.
“Mind you, everyone here in Canada looked at the draw and started thinking “... you know, if we can squeeze a point out of one of the rapidly-aging Euro outfits there’s a chance....”
More stats.
In fact, England have never beaten any of the teams who will or could be in their group at a World Cup finals! (Having only ever played the USA at a World Cup, and not Iran, Scotland, Wales or Ukraine) https://t.co/KyEm72jzZa
— Sunder Katwala (@sundersays) April 1, 2022
The stats are in.
0 - England have never faced Scotland, Wales or Ukraine at the @FIFAWorldCup. Maiden. pic.twitter.com/ZL1bI44iDP
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 1, 2022
1 - England's opening game against Iran at the @FIFAWorldCup will be their first ever match against the nation. England's only previous match against an AFC side at the tournament saw them defeat Kuwait in 1982. Unknown. pic.twitter.com/T7PwJwc81F
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 1, 2022
Spurious.
1966 - @England will play on the opening day of a @FIFAWorldCup tournament for the first time since 1966. Harbinger. pic.twitter.com/b1zPddF4r8
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 1, 2022
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Paul MacInnes speaks to the Norwegian Football Federation president who made her view on Qatar 2022 explicit this week.
Our members [in the Norwegian FA] have asked that we follow up, that we should pressure for real implementation. The kafala system going away, minimum pay, acts that protect against heat stress and give a break in the day, all these are very good legislative changes, but we hear from Amnesty, from Building and Wood Workers’ International, from many organisations, that they can still be improved. Now it’s our task to push more because the spotlight from the World Cup can be effective and we have to use it.
What’s the toughest group? Perhaps G and H down the bottom of the draw. Nobody can really say they got a tough draw. Qatar v Ecuador as an opener is not the most thrilling, sadly. Germany and Spain meeting is two Euro superpowers, but with Japan and Costa Rica/New Zealand in the mix, they can afford not to risk too much. There is no Group of Death, more that Group of International Relations that features England, USA, Iran and very possibly Ukraine. Iran v USA in Qatar would seem a bumper payday for the security teams.
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That group for England looks the most interesting, though mostly from a geopolitical point of view, whether Wales, Scotland or Ukraine make their way through, and with Iran and the USA in the mix.
Those Qatar 2022 groups in full
Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Netherlands, Senegal
Group B: England, Iran, USA, Scotland/Wales/Ukraine
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Group D: France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia
Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan
Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
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And that concludes the draw....
And the very last ball out will be Canada, into Group F with Belgium, Morocco and Croatia as F2.
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Cameroon can’t go into F so go into G, and in fourth position. Ghana join Group H, to join Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea.
Wales, Scotland or Ukraine to join England, USA and Iran
The European playoff, Scotland, Wales or Ukraine can go into England’s group, in position 4. Complicated.
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Saudi Arabia out next, and are pushed into Group C, with Argentina, Mexico and Poland. The next intercontinental playoff - Costa Rica/New Zealand can’t go into Group B so go into Group E.
Ok, here’s where it gets complicated. UAE, Australia or Peru, the intercontinental playoff join Group D in position 2 because of constraints. Ecuador next up join Group A and will play the opener v Qatar.
Pot 4 Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Wales/Scotland/Ukraine, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Peru/UAE/Australia.
Morocco join Belgium and Croatia in Group F, in position F3, and will start against Croatia. South Korea complete the third pot by joining Portugal and Uruguay in Group H.
Back to Group D, Tunsia will face France and Denmark, before Japan join Spain and Germany in Group E in position E4.
Poland go into Group C with Argentina and Mexico in C4. Serbia come out next but can’t go in D, E or F and so go into Group G and will face Brazil first.
Out come African champions Senegal, and they go back to Group A with Qatar and Netherlands.
Updated
England, USA and Iran together
Out come Iran, who can’t face Qatar, and go into Group B with England and USA in position B2, and will be England’s first match. It’s the group of diplomacy.
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Pot 3 Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia.
Croatia enter Group F in position F4, and will join Belgium, playing them in their final group game. The next team out is Uruguay, who would have joined Brazil in Group F, but are moved to Group H in position H3, joining Portugal. That means Switzerland join Brazil in Group G in G3.
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It’s going to be Germany v Spain in Group E, in position E3, a reheating of the Euro 2008 final.
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Mexico are drawn in Argentina’s group C, and will play them in their second game. Denmark enter Group D with France in position D3.
Netherlands come out and enter Qatar’s group in position A4. Lucky Louis!
Into pot 2: Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, USA, Croatia.
England will go into Group B, their first game on the opening day of November 21. Argentina meanwhile go into Group C. France take Group D. Cafu, enjoying himself, pulls out Spain in Group E. Belgium go into Group F, and Roberto Martinez smiles as his team is drawn. Cafu smiles even more as Brazil take Group G. And that leaves Portugal in Group H.
Cafu draw the first ball, and it’s Qatar and they go into Group A in position A1.
Here comes the draw
“Bring on the draw” says the rather jaunty video, and away we go with the draw. Carli Lloyd announces the first pot.
Tim Cahill has his say, beginning with “look, it’s everything” before asking fans to “come and embrace this beautiful country”. Then JJ pulls the trigger on a video announcing the procedure.
Here come the legends: Cafu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Lothar Matthaus, Ali Daei, Qatari legend Adel Ahmed MalAllah, flamin’ Tim Cahill, Bora Milutinovic, the legendary coach, who has a broad smile, and Rabah Madjer, goalscorer for Algeria when they beat West Germany in 1982.
And the draw may actually be about to begin. Here’s … Tottenham, Newcastle and One Show legend Jermaine Jenas, with USA World Cup winner Carli Lloyd. Sam Johnson, the Bristish TV presenter, completes the trio.
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Now for the pots, the warm balls, the permutations? Not just yet Didier Deschamps, the France manager from 2018, carries the trophy itself to the stage, the water carrier himself. Here’s accompanied by the tousle-haired young man who you may recall celebrating victory in Moscow in 2018 on his father’s shoulders.
And then comes a puff video for Qatar, images of kids playing football and the like. “Qatar is ready for game,” it says, voiced by a woman with a Scottish twang. “Our hearts meet in sheer delights...the glory of diversity. Our off the charts Arabian hearts. Our golden coffee...to celebrate with the world...an Arabian country is hosting the Fifa World Cup.
Idris and Reshmin introduce a video that remembers some World Cup greats lost since the last finals: Diego Maradona, Paolo Rossi, Gerd Muller and Gordon Banks.
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Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, offers his welcome. Having admitted that nobody wants to listen to him and they want to see the draw, he sets off into a speech in Arabic before an embrace with Infantino. It was short, but sweet.
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Gianni’s message for peace: “We face some turbulences, our world is aggressive and we need some occasions to bring people together. To all the leaders, stop the conflicts and the wars.”
And never knowingly invisible, here’s Fifa president Gianni Infantino. “Wow, what an emotion it is to be here,” he gleams. “Now it is getting serious,” he gushes, offering a welcome in several languages. “This World Cup will simply be the best World Cup ever, the greatest show on Earth. The world will be united in Qatar.”
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And here come Idris Elba and Reshmin Chowdhury. There appears to be a problem with amplification but we can just about to hear them. They introduce the new Qatar 2022 anthem, Hayya Hayya, which you may be hearing a lot of. “This time is now or never” being its hook. It’s the type of thing you can imagine blaring out in pre-match before the White Stripes and AC/DC’s Thunderstruck really get the crowd going. It’s a bit Shakin’ Shakira, if we’re honest.
“The combination of breakthrough US star Trinidad Cardona, Afrobeats icon Davido and Qatari sensation Aisha captures the spirit of the FIFA World Cup™ and the FIFA Sound strategy by bringing together inspiration from across the globe,” it says here.
Here we go … ceremony time
Idris Elba is about to begin his presenting duties and the ceremony has started with some of the usual hoopla, including dancers jumping through hoops and now freestylers juggling the new World Cup ball, the Al Rhia. On comes an Egyptian songstress and actress Sherihan, who delivers a welcome in Arabic. “We welcome the entire world with open arms.”
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Let us recall that the bidding for Qatar 2022 hosting the tournament remains highly controversial, as David Conn wrote last year.
This tournament can and should be overshadowed by the following issues.
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A reminder once more of those pots.
Pot 1 Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal.
Pot 2 Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, USA, Croatia.
Pot 3 Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia.
Pot 4 Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Wales/Scotland/Ukraine, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Peru/UAE/Australia.
Mark Storey makes a pertinent point about Sir David of Beckham’s shill for Qatar: “Perhaps David didn’t have to get his tickets via the Fifa website but it wasn’t actually possible to get tickets for two games in the same day. Such a massive selling point wasted, and frustratingly as I only live down the road in Dubai I didn’t get any anyway.”
Just 15 minutes away now, and the BBC have begun their montage with a host of World Cup memories, including, oddly, Frank Lampard’s goal that never was against Germany in 2010. The draw begins at 5.25pm BST we are told. Qatar’s human rights record receives an early mention, too.
A lunchtime assignment for Liverpool, and they could be top of the league come 2.45pm. In fact, they should be top of the league come 2.45pm.
Here’s what it looks like at the DECC venue in Doha, Qatar ahead of the draw. All that UV makes it look like a Pink Floyd-inspired solarium.
Stage set - quite insane to think the last time there was one of these, we were all in the same room as Putin pic.twitter.com/dWbBR9td6k
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 1, 2022
William Metcalf on the fourth pot confusion. “From recollection, for the fourth pot, when they draw the team first, they’ll have some computer magic in the background tell them which groups they’re eligible for and they will then put only those groups into the subsequent draw to place the team in a group. Therefore, if all eligible teams for group E excluding one have been drawn elsewhere, the computer magic will automatically place the final country in group E without pulling that country out the hat. When the country does get pulled out, the computer will state that said country must be put in pot E.”
Over at ESPN, Dale Johnson, a master of such things, has done a mock draw.
Here's my mock World Cup finals draw, based upon the confirmed pots and drawn randomly following the regulations.
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) March 31, 2022
The heavyweight teams would be quite satisfied with this.
Qatar vs. Serbia would be the opening game.
All pots shown here: https://t.co/tatUQfd4Cc pic.twitter.com/8HCQrfVt41
Michael Moore on more draw collywobbles. “The Peru/UAE/Australia slot is going to be kept out of a group that already has an Asian or South American team drawn. So if Peru win, they’re denied the chance to play in Qatar’s group. It will be a tougher group for them by default. If UAE or Australia win they will be shielded from having to play Brazil, Argentina or Uruguay. Is that fair?
“The CR/NZ slot will be kept out of a group that already has a Concacaf team. So in the unlikely event that NZ win, the US and Mexico will be precluded from getting the advantage of playing in the worst ranked team’s group (NZ are 101 in the current rankings). Is that fair?”
Answers on a postcard - or email - to this teaser from Philip Reed...this is going to happen, isn’t it? Memories of Serbia & Montenegro being a spare part for the 2006 draw and being quite angry about it:
Here’s a situation that fascinates me. Suppose Group E starts with two teams from the Americas -- e.g. BRA-USA or ARG-MEX.
Now, we get to the final pot, first three groups uneventful, so we’re ready to draw Group D. And our five remaining contestants are:
- Canada- Ecuador - Peru / UAE / Australia winner- Costa Rica / NZ- anyone else -- Cameroon, let’s say -- assuming no clash with D
That fifth team *must* go to Group E because the other four will clash, right? So if they pull out the Cameroon ball, do they just place it in E, leaving fans of Group D baffled? Do they explain this ahead of time or just pray it doesn’t happen?
Similarly from Roger Kirkby: “With five European teams in pots one & two and only two Euro teams in any group, this could get really messy, by the time they draw pots three & four.”
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Ásgeir H Ingólfsson gets in touch: “One more bit about the size: all the stadiums together will fit 380.000 people. Essentially, every single citizen of Qatar, while still leaving room for a handful of the 2 million expat workers who built them...”
I got 7/10 so beat that if you can.
With around an hour to go until the ceremony, let’s remind ourselves of the finer details.
How will the draw work?
The teams are divided into four pots based on the Fifa rankings published on Thursday. Pot 1 comprises Qatar as hosts and the seven highest-ranked qualified teams. Pot 2 has the next eight highest-ranked qualified teams, Pot 3 the eight highest-qualified after that, and Pot 4 the five best-ranked teams after that and placeholders representing the two winners of the intercontinental playoffs and the remaining European playoff winner.
Pot 1 Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal.
Pot 2 Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, USA, Croatia.
Pot 3 Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia.
Pot 4 Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Wales/Scotland/Ukraine, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Peru/UAE/Australia.
Each group will contain one team from each pot. First each team in Pot 1 will be allocated a group, then each team in Pots 2, 3 and 4 to create eight groups of four. Each pot will be emptied before the next pot is drawn. Qatar will be allocated position A1 but in every other case a ball will be drawn from a team pot, then a ball drawn from a group pot to determine where they will be placed.
Teams from the same confederation will be kept apart in the groups with the exception of European teams, of which there will be 13. Five of the eight groups will have two European teams.
Get your Fiver here! Get your Fiver here! Get your Fiver here!
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If nothing else, let’s hope this draw can be as amusing as that for the 1982 World Cup though not *too* confusing for those of us live-blogging the thing.
But still, let’s look back to 40 years ago in the hands of regular Guardian contributor Steven Pye.
For the record: 11,571 km² is the size of Qatar. 11,903 km² is the size of Yorkshire. Cork is 7,500 km2.
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Niall O’Keefe reports in: “Just dawned on me that the largest county in one of the smallest European countries is not much smaller than Qatar. Surely County Cork can get the World Cup.”
Steve Forstneger gets in touch from the US of A: “Hope you’re enjoying your Friday. Wanted to play a little devil’s advocate in context of the Norway/Qatar exchange: given that Erling Brut Haaland has been pictured with teammates while wearing Human Rights shirts, what does this mean for his potential move to the Etihad? Mind, it wasn’t a stumbling block for Gundogan or Pep.”
As the draw nears, and as the reporters out at the draw have been saying, Qatar is not a very big place. Here’s a map from our interactive team to get an idea of the scale.
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Midlands derby mid-table grudge match awaits.
Thomas Tuchel spoke before to reporters ahead of Chelsea’s match with Brentford, and mentioned the takeover currently in train.
Not sure if I could even tell you the names of the consortiums and new bidders. It is my information that it is down to four and in the next weeks should be further talks and negotiations.
[Meeting the prospective new owners]No, absolutely not. I’m not sure if they want to and I’m not sure if I should. I don’t know if it’s a good idea or a bad idea. Maybe it’s best to be involved – if I am involved – as late as possible.
[On Azpilicueta’s new deal being triggered] Well, I knew all the time that this is very likely to happen because he is a regular starter with us. I knew the number of games we needed to make him stay, to ensure his contract continued or extended. That’s why I am very happy. You know how much I rely on him and how much impact he has in this group and this club. It’s very good news for us.
[On Rudiger meeting Barcelona suits] If it’s true, of course. I would try to meet him if I was at any other club. He’s still our player and we still think there’s a good chance he stays our player once things are solved. This situation is the situation at the moment, our hands are tied. We cannot speak or negotiate with him and his agent. Fair enough if it’s true that he listens to other offers. That’s the way things go but I am still confident.
David Beckham has been working as ambassador for Qatar, with his payment rumoured to be all sorts of sums, and he is quoted thus on the BBC.
It’s a massive moment for everyone in Qatar and very inspiring. I’ve always talked about the legacy of the World Cup for Qatar - but also the legacy of the World Cup everywhere,” he said.
That’s what the World Cup brings to a nation - it’s an inspiring moment. For Qatar, it’s a chance to show off the country and its love of football, its history and culture. Having some of the biggest players in the sport descend on Qatar is a huge moment for the country and region.
Fans are going to have a great experience. In the past, fans have had to travel between games but in Qatar, they’re going to be able to go to more than one match a day because it is such a compact tournament.
I think the fans will enjoy what Qatar has to offer. There will be great food, a warm welcome from the local people and lots to see and enjoy besides the football.
Good afternoon, not long now until “the most impressive draw stage ever seen” as the Fifa handout had it.
Time for John Brewin. He’ll be taking your all the way through to the World Cup draw (5pm UK). Excitement levels building.
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A bit more Liverpool team news and it’s a familiar one: Naby Keita is an injury doubt.
Here’s Jürgen Klopp: “Yesterday Naby couldn’t train, felt a little bit here and there. I don’t know exactly yet, nobody called me yet about Naby for today. So we will see how he is for today. Apart from that, we had them pretty much all available.”
The midfielder’s injury ruled him out of international duty for Guinea. Klopp added: “Yeah, but that was kind of OK. Then he trained once and then he felt [it] again, so we need to see. Not sure if he will be, or can be, involved tomorrow.”
Spurs boss Antonio Conte reckons it would be a “miracle” for his side to finish in the top this season.
A check of the latest odds shows it’s actually a 9/4 shot. I personally want a bit more value when backing a miracle but there you go.
He isn’t giving up though. Oh no. The task has gone down by a whole “very”.
“It’s right to underline that this target is very, very difficult and we are not the only team that wants to try and do this miracle,” said Conte.
“If you ask me about the past, about our possibility to reach a place in the Champions League, I could say to do it’d be very, very, very difficult. Now after five months I’m seeing great improvement in my team and we have to fight until the end.
“We have the possibility to reach this target and it’s important to have this type of ambition and put pressure on ourselves for this target.
“To play Champions League next season is important for me, the club, the players, the fans. Everybody. Because to play Champions League is totally different to Europa League or Europa Conference League or not playing in UEFA competition. It’s an important target for many reasons, for the club, because for sure you can play important things.”
For the record, Tottenham could move into the top four with victory over Newcastle at the weekend.
They’d be ahead of Arsenal on goal difference although the Gunners have two games in hand, the first of those away to Crystal Palace on Monday night.
Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope has stressed Saturday’s clash with Manchester City is not a match the relegation-threatened Clarets can “write off”.
With 11 games to go, Burnley are 19th in the Premier League, four points adrift of 17th-placed Everton.
They play the Toffees at home next Wednesday and rock-bottom Norwich away four days later after hosting table-toppers City, who they have suffered nine successive losses to in all competitions.
Pope told a press conference: “You want to pick up points every game. Eleven games to go, in the position we are in, it’s not necessarily targeting certain games.
“It’s going into every game, performing that game plan, and putting in good performances to get results when they come.
“Obviously when you play teams around you it is always going to be important. But first of all City is a massive game for us.
“It’s a home game and we can’t just sit back and write it off, that’s something that has not really been our style. (We’ll try to) go out there and use that opportunity to start a good run for ourselves.”
Sean Dyche’s men were beaten only once in seven outings before losing each of their last three games, against Leicester, Chelsea and Brentford.
Asked for his analysis of Burnley’s relegation battle, Pope said: “Of course, the reality is the reality, there’s no hiding from that.
“But we know what we’ve got to do, and we know what we have got – a squad full of leaders, good characters and players who have been in this position before.”
“I think it can only be a good thing – we’ve been in this position before, had to dig ourselves out of a bad start and bad positions and get ourselves over the line.
“We’ve got a really good core group of players who’ve been here before and seen this situation and seen it through to a good outcome. That is what we are after.”
(PA Media)
Here’s a bit of Pep looking pretty stern as he’s asked about the title race and planning ahead.
🗣 "We can do mistakes and win the title."
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 1, 2022
Pep Guardiola response to whether now is the time not to slip up in the title race against Liverpool pic.twitter.com/n3cVrMfCq2
Cheers John. And let’s warm your heart too with this news. All wrapped up in an hour apparently.
🌍 🏆 FIFA says the World Cup draw will only take an hour to complete.
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 1, 2022
🎤 40 minutes on the draw, with a 20 minute ceremony hosted by Idris Elba.
[via @SkyKaveh] pic.twitter.com/T4VftoBbko
Right, I am just off to warm some balls ahead of the World Cup draw. Dave Tindall is back in the chair.
Dias to miss City v Liverpool showdown
Pep Guardiola has said that Rúben Dias will miss Manchester City’s big showdown against Liverpool next weekend but John Stones is fit to face Burnley on Saturday.
Dias has missed the last four weeks with a hamstring injury and Guardiola does not expect the Portugal defender to be back in time for the top of the table clash.
“The doctor said for four to six weeks. We need 10 days or two weeks more,” he said.
Stones returned to City early from international duty but has recovered sufficiently for the trip to Turf Moor. “The plan depends on the players when I saw them today and yesterday,” added Guardiola. “We still have nine games to play. We will go game by game. We know what we have to do. We have to win games. It will be difficult, but we will try.”
Rangnick speaks out on Maguire and Pogba
Ralf Rangnick believes Harry Maguire draws criticism on social media from Manchester United fans because the defender, Scott McTominay, Fred and other teammates are being compared to “legends of the past”.
Maguire was booed when representing England ahead of Tuesday’s 3-0 friendly win over Ivory Coast at Wembley. While United’s interim manager found this puzzling, he was asked why Maguire can also attract attention on social media.
“I don’t think this is a personal thing,” Rangnick said. “It hasn’t anything to do with Harry himself, we know there are one or two players who have been criticised in the last few months and years. For example Fred, a very important player for this team, who plays regularly and for Brazil. Maybe it’s still got to do with the high expectations around this club and how people tend to compare with former players and legends. Fred, Scotty [McTominay] and Harry are important players and players with the right attitude.”
Rangnick also dismissed Paul Pogba’s complaint at the start of the international break that being asked to play in a wide attacking berth for United instead of his usual midfield position is difficult, the Frenchman contrasting this with how he operates in his preferred role consistently for his country.
“I heard he said he had played in different positions in the last couple of weeks,” said the German. “Since the game against West Ham [in January] we have lost three strikers: Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani - who is injured again and will be out for the next couple of weeks - and on top of that with Bruno or McTominay [also unavailable at times] - you have to play in a different role. This is normal.”
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On that five-sub ruling that went through on Thursday. It’s caused backlash against the BIG SIX and yet PL rules require 14 clubs to vote through proposals. Brentford makes it seven.
Thomas Frank confirms Brentford voted in favour of the five substitutions rule.
— Jay Harris (@jaydmharris) April 1, 2022
"It's a plus. I like the tactical flexibility we will have with it. It gives us some opportunities."#BrentfordFC #CHEBRE
Some Antonio Conte quotes ahead of Tottenham’s match with Newcastle on Sunday.
There are four teams are stronger than the others. Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and United. If you are asking me about our possibility of making the Champions League [when I took over] I’d have said very, very, very difficult but now I think we have to try and fight to the end. We have the possibility to reach this target.
It’s important to have this ambition. To play Champions League is important for me, it’s important for the club, important for the players, for everybody. It’s an important target for many reasons. You can plan important things.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 29 | 50 | 70 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 29 | 55 | 69 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 28 | 38 | 59 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 28 | 13 | 54 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 29 | 11 | 51 |
'Not acceptable' to confiscate rainbow flags says LGBTIQ+ group
Removing rainbow flags from supporters at the World Cup later this year would be an unacceptable act by the Qatari authorities, the Fare network has said.
A senior security official for the host country’s government told the Associated Press that flags could be confiscated from people to protect them from being attacked by others.
Fare, which was part of a group of 16 organisations which is seeking assurances from tournament organisers over the safety of fans from the LGBTIQ+ community, said the suggestion that flags would be removed to ensure safety would be seen as a pretext and that the “bigger danger” to the community was the state, not intolerant supporters.
“The reassurances of safety we are seeking from the Supreme Committee and government of Qatar are categorical,” a statement from the network read. “The LGBTIQ+ community should be allowed freedom of expression and be protected in exercising those rights. This is the international norm.
“The rainbow flag will be worn by thousands of people in Qatar, by LGBTIQ+ visitors and regular supporters. The idea that the flag, which is now a recognised and universal symbol of diversity and equality, will be removed from people to protect them, will not be considered acceptable, and will be seen as a pretext.
“From our experience of Qatar and the work we have done there we do not expect the local Qatari population or visiting fans to be attacked for wearing the rainbow flag, the bigger danger comes from state actions.”
Qatari law criminalises same-sex relationships, but FIFA and the Supreme Committee insist supporters from the LGBTIQ+ community will be made welcome in the country during the World Cup.
(PA Media)
Further news on that lineup for the draw later, with the presenting team including Jermaine Jenas, former USA women’s international Carli Lloyd and TV presenter Samantha Johnson.
The ex-player and managers contingent is as follows.
Cafu, Lothar Matthaus, Jay-Jay Okocha, Tim Cahill, Qatari legend Adel Ahmed MalAllah, Iran legend Ali Daei, former coach of just about everyone Bora Milutinovic and Algerian legend Rabah Madjer (he scored the winner in the 1987 European Cup final).
And here’s your Qatar 2022 official anthem. Or one of them, seems like they are hedging their bets with a few releases. Better Together reminds of the 2015 Scottish independence referendum, with some #FPBE vibes, too. The song itself is the expected wash of autotune.
Hayya Hayya (Better Together) is the first single of the multi-song FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Official Soundtrack.
News from Scotland.
It is two months since the Kirkcaldy club signed David Goodwillie, who was ordered to pay damages to the woman he was found by a civil court to have raped in a landmark case in 2017. The move resulted in a ferocious backlash which escalated across the first week of February, with sponsorship withdrawals, multiple resignations and the women’s team moving to sever ties.
Two familiar faces to UK audiences will be presenting the draw later on.
The presenters commanding the most impressive draw stage ever seen will be award-winning actor Idris Elba and renowned sports broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury.
Idris Elba’s most famous role had this to say about a Qatari summer: “That’s like a 40-degree day. Ain’t nobody got nothing to say about a 40-degree day. 50? Bring a smile to your face.”
#WorldCup final-draw show 🙌 to blend Qatar’s 🇶🇦 history and future in dazzling football ⚽️ celebration presented by @idriselba and @ReshminTV ➡️ https://t.co/a0bjEQaqBt pic.twitter.com/FvWkVY2S0m
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) April 1, 2022
Leeds v Southampton can only remind of one thing.
A dab of Liverpool team news. Looks like “Trent” will be back far quicker than expected.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will return to full training today, Jurgen Klopp confirms. "Tight for tomorrow but it's possible."
— Andy Hunter (@AHunterGuardian) April 1, 2022
Perhaps some may wish to concentrate on the football at this year’s World Cup. You may see a few calls for that. But this is the harsh truth of the tournament being held in Qatar. The state-of-the-art stadia that Fifa and the local organisers boast about came into being because of this.
But despite the billions spent, Qatar’s World Cup infrastructure has been built on the cheap. Hundreds of thousands of workers have been forced to pay for their own recruitment and labour for years earning poverty wages.
In villages and towns across south Asia and parts of Africa, young men desperate for work sign up with recruitment agents who, often in collusion with companies or brokers in Qatar, illegally extract huge sums from them in return for a job. It can take a low-wage worker from Bangladesh a year of hard labour just to recoup the fees.
March’s Premier League gongs have been announced and it’s an all-north London affair in the battle for the top four.
Back in top form ✨
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 1, 2022
Harry Kane is your @easportsfifa Player of the Month for a SEVENTH time - no #PL player has ever won more #PLAwards | @HKane pic.twitter.com/77KPOsCX25
Shaping the team in his image 👏
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 1, 2022
Mikel Arteta's fine work at @Arsenal earns him @BarclaysFooty's Manager of the Month award for March#PLAwards | @m8arteta pic.twitter.com/FZub2YZoAA
The match previews are rolling in, starting with a game that Norwich really have to win to have any hope of but probably won’t.
There’s Liverpool and there’s Manchester City, too, the actual league leaders. Sid Lowe spoke to Aymeric Laporte.
We’re humans, people have to understand that: just as we beat United, we lost to Palace. You can’t explain that with money. However much a player costs, that doesn’t mean he’s going to be the best. It’s not an exact science. We’re leaders, a point ahead of Liverpool. We have the best defence – and [yet] people throw defensive issues at us. I don’t want to imagine what our neighbours …
Time to get giddy on Merseyside? (Not Everton, obviously.) Andy Hunter doesn’t see why not.
Liverpool have dropped two Premier League points since the turn of the year; City seven points in their past seven league games. There have been 16 wins in 19 matches in all competitions in 2022, including the remarkable penalty shootout success against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, and their only defeat, against Internazionale in the Champions League, could not derail progress to the quarter-finals on aggregate. Benfica await next week. The Portuguese club are third in Primeira Liga. Liverpool defeated the leaders, Porto, 5-1 and 2-0 in this season’s group stage.
No team in England’s top four divisions have conceded fewer league goals at home than Liverpool (seven), and the improvement in squad depth was evident throughout the Carabao Cup campaign and when Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané departed for the Africa Cup of Nations after scoring in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea in January. That month’s signing of Luis Díaz, who has assimilated seamlessly since his arrival from Porto, has embellished an already formidable forward line.
Good point, well made by Paul Kelly. Could make it a little difficult for those of tasked with doing the live blog as it happens.
@JohnBrewin_ World cup draws should be done in the native language of the hosts, for the laugh, like this in 1974 pic.twitter.com/0iIapTmqhT
— PKelly (@paulkellington) April 1, 2022
Real-world journalism here from Kyiv, where Daniel Boffey spoke to the Ukraine manager, Oleksandr Petrakov.
A Russian speaker from childhood, Petrakov now sticks to Ukrainian in public and while some are sad about Vladimir Putin’s war and others are angry, he admits to a more visceral emotion. “It’s just hate. It is not anger, but people hate those who invaded their land. We need time to calm down but for now it is just hate. They have broken our countries for years.”
Morning, all. Let’s start with the good news for Manchester United fans, Bruno Fernandes extending his stay at Old Trafford/whatever may replace Old Trafford.
There is so much more that I want to achieve here, and I know that is the same for the rest of the squad and staff. More than anything, we want to give the fans the success that they deserve. We have shared some great moments over the last years, but the best is yet to come from myself and this team.
Bruno has been very good for United but it is true to say there is more to achieve at United and that the best really has to come from the current team.
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Over to you John...
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Just before I hand over to John Brewin, here are those Alan Partridge World Cup draw quiz answers.
1) Who scores the goal which prompts Alan to screech: “Shit, did you see that? He must have a foot like a traction engine.”
Answer: It’s Belgium’s Enzo Scifo, a player who in my memory seemed to play in around six straight World Cups and be aged 28 in all of them.
2) Which goalie has “football pie all over his shirt”?
Answer: The trackie bottoms were the giveaway. It’s Cameroon’s Thomas N’Kono.
More World Cup draw chat in this week’s Football Weekly Extra podcast. Barry claims the new Adidas ball is so amazing it may be able to go back in time.
From David Hytner’s World Cup draw preview in which Gareth Southgate responds to questions about Qatar’s woeful labour rights record, its outlawing of homosexuality and its male guardianship system that denies women the right to make key decisions about their lives?
“It’s the first World Cup in a Muslim country, the first in the Middle East and it’s the first World Cup in the middle of the season so it’s a hugely different feel, culturally,” Southgate said, calibrating his answer carefully. “But I went to the World Cup in South Africa [in 2010] – the first time on the continent of Africa – and it was an amazing experience. I went to Brazil [in 2014] – again, an amazing experience.
“Part of the World Cup is visiting places you’ve not had the chance to go to. I love travel and if there’s a trip to go somewhere to improve my knowledge of the world and culture, I’m the first name down.”
Southgate is not blind to the social situation in Qatar. Far from it. Neither are his players, especially after they were given a presentation on it in the early part of last week. The midfielder Jordan Henderson described the content as “shocking” and “horrendous”.
German artist Volker-Johannes Trieb has dumped 6,500 football-shaped bags of sand in Fifa’s car park in protest at the migrant worker deaths in Qatar. ‘World conscience, you are a stain of shame’ was emblazoned on the balls, which are meant to symbolize 6,500 workers who have died in Qatar since it won the right to host the World Cup.
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Kári Tulinius has been in contact to correct my rookie World Cup draw mistake in the preamble.
“The putative golden draw of USA, Iran and Canada, besides probably looking like a fairly difficult group, can’t actually happen because two teams from the same confederation can’t be in the same group, with the exception of European sides, of which there can be two.”
I still think anyone would happily take the USA from Pot 2 though!
Pot 2 Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, USA, Croatia.
This year’s ball is the Al Rihla. Adidas are bigging it up here. Start saving now if you want to buy one.
The Al Rihla is made to make journeys.
— adidas Football (@adidasfootball) March 30, 2022
Designed from the inside out to follow your feet and write new stories with every touch, this is innovation from core to skin.
This is the journey, starting now.
Exclusively available at adidas online and retail stores until April 12th. pic.twitter.com/WcWN02uREE
The balls for the 1970 and 1974 World Cups were clearly the best balls. They started getting silly in 2002.
World Cup balls through the years... pic.twitter.com/rLxrSTGCQz
— When Football Was Better (@FootballInT80s) July 19, 2017
David Hytner is our man in Doha for the World Cup draw. Here’s his scene setter.
We’ve gone early with the Alan Partridge clip but let’s beef it up with a quiz element.
1) Who scores the goal which prompts Alan to screech: “Shit, did you see that? He must have a foot like a traction engine.”
2) Which goalie has “football pie all over his shirt”?
Answers at 11am when I hand over to John Brewin.
If only there was, like, an essential guide to how this World Cup draw malarkey works.
Preamble
Welcome to what can only be described as a bumper edition of the Friday football blog. Not only do we bring you the usual enticing dollop of Premier League team news and hot manager quotes but Friday, good people, is only World Cup draw day! The untwisting of mini footballs doesn’t actually take place until 5pm UK time so plenty of time to let the pointless speculation run wild. Will Argentina get Nigeria again? Will England get a group so bad that Harry Kane can probably wrap up the Golden Boot before the knockout phase? Will we post that video of Alan Partridge’s 1994 World Cup draw? Answers: a) can’t happen (Nigeria haven’t qualified), b) maybe, if England get the golden draw of USA, Iran and Canada, c) yes.
Back to domestic matters and Liverpool have the early kick-off on Saturday. After trailing Manchester City by 73 points at one stage, they could go top for around 150 minutes with a home win over Watford. Reds fans better screengrab the table before Burnley 0-4 Man City in the 3pm kick-off.
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