Source: Al Jazeera
Security & Justice
Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets Across Lebanon in Wake of Mortar Attack
Israeli fighter jets launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday night, targeting Hezbollah operatives, rocket launchers, and infrastructure in response to a mortar attack by the group on the Mount Dov area earlier in the day.
Monday, December 2, 2024
Netanyahu Vows Strong Response to Hezbollah’s Mortar Attack
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a strong response following a Hezbollah mortar attack on an Israeli army position in the Mount Dov area, condemning the attack as a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement between the two sides.
Monday, December 2, 2024
Opinion
As Lebanon’s Battlefield Closes, Syria’s Reignites. Why Is Turkey Opening Aleppo Front Now?
Syrian opposition group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and armed factions supported by Turkey launched a surprise offensive in northwestern Syria, making significant advances toward Aleppo - the country’s second-largest city. This development marks the first frontline shift dividing Syria’s “three mini-states” in nearly five years and comes after an Israeli warning to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
What Is Next for Hezbollah in Lebanon?
Lebanon is taking a cautious sigh of relief as the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel stands on shaky ground.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Sports
Liverpool Star Showed True Colours with Message to Real Madrid Ace After Mo Salah Incident
Harvey Elliott once refused an opportunity to meet ex-Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos, out of respect for Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah.
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Haaland Faces Possible Prison Time in Switzerland
In an unexpected turn of events, Erling Haaland, the star of Manchester City, could face a day in prison in Switzerland over an unpaid fine of just 60 Swiss francs (approximately 65 dollars).
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Friday 1 April 2022 16:09:59
Teams, Pots, Groups: The Qatar 2022 World Cup Draw Explained
The final draw for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will take place in Doha on Friday.
The 32-team football event will kick off in Qatar on November 21, with the final taking place on December 18.
Twenty-nine participants, including the hosts, have already been confirmed, while the remaining three will be finalised by June this year.
Which teams have already qualified for the World Cup?
Argentina
Belgium
Brazil
Cameroon
Canada
Croatia
Denmark
Ecuador
England
France
Germany
Ghana
Iran
Japan
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
South Korea
Spain
Switzerland
Tunisia
Uruguay
USA
How does the seeding and pots work?
Qatar, as hosts, will take position A1 from Pot 1.
The other 28 already qualified teams are allocated pots based on the FIFA rankings released on Thursday.
In Pot 1, Qatar will be joined by the seven highest-ranked teams.
The teams ranked eight to 15 will be allocated Pot 2, 16 to 23 will be in Pot 3 while Pot 4 will include the qualified teams in positions 24 to 28 as well as placeholders for the remaining three slots – two winners of the intercontinental playoffs and the remaining UEFA playoff winner.
Which team is in which pot?
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, Peru/Australia/UAE, Costa Rica/New Zealand
What is the draw procedure?
In each team pot, there are eight balls bearing country names for each qualified team as well as three placeholders.
There are also eight pots representing the groups and are labelled A to H. In each group pot, there are four balls number one to four representing the position in each group.
A ball is drawn from the team pot and then from one of the group pots to determine the team’s position in that group.
Who are the notable omissions?
Italy, current European champions, have missed out on their second World Cup in a row.
Russia will also not be part of the draw after the team was disqualified from the playoffs due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Also absent will be Egypt, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Algeria who all fell at various hurdles in qualifying.
