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FIFA World Cup 2022: Which countries are making their debuts in Qatar?

Pinnacle of international football and a player's career can go from the bottom of an ocean to the top of a mountain in a night

By K S Vignesh Bharadwaj | Oct 18, 2022 | 2 Min Read

In a world full of chaos and hatred, jealousy and envy, football is the only place that can tell some people the true meaning of life. Football is not just a getaway but is an entire existence in itself. The FIFA World Cup can be a breathtaking setting. A temple of love and happiness. It’s where one can see the world, not for what it is and for what it can be.

Football can turn enemies into friends and has the potential to bring a nation or a continent together. The delight of watching one’s team win a game or a trophy simply cannot be put into words. The elation of being a part of the FIFA World Cup just cannot be matched. Every footballer on the planet dreams of representing their country at the grandest stage as it presents the best chance to showcase one’s talent and realize their dream, but it is considered one of the vigorous challenges for any newcomer.

The World Cup is the pinnacle of international football, and a player’s career can go from the bottom of an ocean to the top of a mountain in a night. 24 of the 32 countries which qualified to compete in the 2022 FIFA World Cup were present at the competition in Russia.

From debutants to dark horses?

Qatar are the solitary team competing in their first FIFA World Cup this time around, becoming the first hosts to do so since Italy almost 90 years ago (1934). Qatar’s quadrennial event will be the first World Cup to witness no team clinching a spot through the qualification rounds. Following absences from the 2018 event, the Netherlands, Ecuador, Ghana, Cameroon, and the United States have all returned to this year’s footballing extravaganza.

Roberto Mancini’s Italy, the reigning European champions and four-time world cup winners, failed to advance to a second consecutive World Cup for the first time in the country’s history after losing in the qualification play-off semifinals. Thirty-two teams will compete in eight groups to start the 2022 World Cup. On Sunday, November 20, at the Al Bayt Stadium, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar gets underway as the hosts take on Ecuador in Group A