International Football
World Cup 2022 Round of 16: qualified teams, schedule and how it works
With the World Cup knockout phase having begun, here is an overview of the teams advancing to the last 16 at the tournament in Qatar:
HOW DOES THE KNOCKOUT STAGE AT WORLD CUP 2022 WORK?
* In the knockout stage the teams will play each other once, with the winning team going to the next round. There are total of four rounds: Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, which will take place on Dec. 18.
* There is also a third place playoff between the losers of the semi-finals.
* If the scores are equal at the end of normal playing time, extra time is played for two periods of 15 minutes each. If the score is still tied, this is followed by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winners.
WHICH TEAMS HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE KNOCKOUT STAGE?
GROUP A
* The Netherlands secured a place in the last 16 with victories over African champions Senegal and hosts Qatar, topping Group A despite a 1-1 draw with Ecuador.
* The reigning African Champions started the World Cup with a loss to the Netherlands, but they turned their fortunes with a 3-1 win over hosts Qatar and a decisive 2-1 win over Ecuador.
GROUP B
* England punched their ticket to the knockout phase as top of Group B with 7 points, following emphatic victories against Wales and Iran and a goalless draw with the United States.
* The United States qualified as runners up of Group B after a 1-0 victory over Iran in a match overshadowed by political tension following draws with Wales and England.
GROUP C
* Argentina clawed back the top spot in Group C with wins over Mexico and Poland after a shocking loss in the opener against Saudi Arabia. They will next face Australia on Saturday.
* Poland clinched a spot in the last 16 as runners-up of Group C after a win over Saudi Arabia, a draw with Mexico and a loss to Argentina. They meet France on Sunday.
GROUP D
* Reigning champions France delivered on expectations and became the first team to qualify for the last 16 with consecutive Group D wins over Australia and Denmark, followed by a 1-0 loss to Tunisia.
* Australia claimed a spot in the last 16 as Group D runners-up with 6 points from wins over Tunisia and Denmark. They go on to face Argentina on Saturday.
GROUP E
* Japan surged into the last 16 as the unlikely winners of Group E after the Samurai Blue staged two stunning comeback wins over Germany and Spain, losing only to Costa Rica. They will face Croatia on Monday.
* Spain clinched a spot in the last 16 with a blowout against Costa Rica, followed by a draw with Germany and a loss to Japan. They will meet Morocco on Tuesday.
GROUP F
* Morocco topped Group F with wins over Canada and Belgium following a goalless draw with Croatia, and will play against Spain on Tuesday.
* Croatia joined the last 16 after two goalless draws with Morocco and Belgium and a 4-1 victory over Canada. They will next face Japan on Monday.
Group G:
* Brazil booked their ticket for the knockout stage with back-to-back wins against Switzerland and Serbia, followed by a 1-0 loss to Cameroon. They will face South Korea on Monday.
* Switzerland secured the runners-up spot in Group G with a 3-2 win over Serbia and a victory over Cameroon, and will go on to play Portugal on Tuesday.
GROUP H
* Portugal finished Group H with a defeat by South Korea but held on to their top spot to face Switzerland on Tuesday.
* South Korea clinched entry to the knockout stage with a last-gasp win over already-qualified Portugal, following a goalless draw with Uruguay and a loss to Ghana.
WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE FOR THE KNOCKOUT STAGE?
DATE FIXTURE TIME VENUE Dec. 3 Netherlands v United States 1500 Khalifa International Stadium Dec. 3 Argentina v Australia 1900 Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Dec. 4 France v Poland 1500 Al Thumama Stadium Dec. 4 England v Senegal 1900 Al Bayt Stadium Dec. 5 Japan v Croatia 1500 Al Janoub Stadium Dec. 5 Brazil v South Korea 1900 Stadium 974 Dec. 6 Morocco v Spain 1500 Education City Stadium Dec. 6 Portugal v Switzerland 1900 Lusail Iconic Stadium Dec. 9 Quarter-final 1 1900 Lusail Iconic Stadium Dec. 9 Quarter-final 2 1500 Education City Stadium Dec. 10 Quarter-final 3 1900 Al Bayt Stadium Dec. 10 Quarter-final 4 1500 Al Thumama Stadium Dec. 13 Semi-final 1 1900 Lusail Iconic Stadium Dec. 14 Semi-final 2 1900 Al Bayt Stadium Dec. 17 Third place playoff 1500 Khalifa International Stadium Dec. 18 Final 1500 Lusail Iconic Stadium
WHICH TEAMS ARE OUT OF THE WORLD CUP?
* Group A: Ecuador and Qatar
* Group B: Iran and Wales
* Group C: Mexico and Saudi Arabia
* Group D: Tunisia and Denmark
* Group E: Germany and Costa Rica
* Group F: Belgium and Canada
* Group G: Cameroon and Serbia
* Group H: Uruguay and Ghana
-Reuters
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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