On November 20, the controversial World Cup will begin. The 2022 World Cup schedule kicks off with host nation Qatar taking on Ecuador in their first Group A match.
The top and second-placed teams in Group A will advance to the Round of 16 and will face the two teams on Saturday, December 3, and Sunday, December 4 to advance from Group B.
- Netherlands and Senegal are leading from Group A.
- It is considered the easiest group in the tournament.
- Qatar has to fight harder than they expected.
Here are the odds for each team from the group to win and qualify, with odds provided by Sports Interact (correct as of November 2022).
Minus odds mean the bet must be placed to win $100 on that specific bet, while plus odds represent the winnings from a successful $100 bet.
The Netherlands and Senegal are other countries that are widely considered to be the easiest group. So, what should you expect? Let’s take a look at the World Cup betting odds for Group A and which countries are expected to qualify for the next round.
World Cup 2022: Group A Odds & Predictions
Who is going to top in GROUP A?
— FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar (@FWC2022Qatar) October 19, 2022
🇶🇦🇳🇱🇪🇨🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/rZzQrz5Ek1
| Team | Group Winner | To Qualify |
| Qatar | +1500 | +277 |
| Ecuador | +479 | -122 |
| Senegal | +460 | -109 |
| Netherlands | -238 | -769 |
The official FIFA 2022 World Cup fixtures outline the following knockout pairings for the round of 16 to the final:
World Cup 2022 Round of 16
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| 1A vs. 2B | Dec. 3, Sat | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
| 1C vs. 2D | Dec. 3, Sat | 2 p.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali |
| 1D vs. 2C | Dec. 4, Sun | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
| 1B vs. 2A | Dec. 4, Sun | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
| 1E vs. 2F | Dec. 5, Mon | 10 a.m. | Al Janoub |
| 1G vs. 2H | Dec. 5, Mon | 2 p.m. | Stadium 974 |
| 1F vs. 2E | Dec. 6, Tue | 10 a.m. | Education City |
| 1H vs. 2G | Dec. 6, Tue | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
Is Group A Really an Easy Group?
Senegal poses the biggest risk to the Netherlands
SENEGAL WIN #AFCON2021
— GOAL (@goal) February 6, 2022
KINGS OF AFRICA FOR THE FIRST TIME 🇸🇳👑 pic.twitter.com/YQl9pKBzko
The Dutch manager, Louis van Gaal, expressed his delight at being placed in this group with teams considered far inferior to the Netherlands. That being said, no group at the World Cup is an easy one: just ask Germany, who failed to qualify from Group F in 2018 and from the tournament’s “easiest” group.
The Netherlands is expected to top Group A, but that doesn’t mean they should go into it hoping to beat the other three teams to take the top spot.
Senegal, in particular, poses a threat to Van Gaal’s side. Aliou Cisse led the team to victory in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), and they will give the Netherlands a tough test.
Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gueye, and Ismaïla Sarr are some of the big names in the Senegalese squad that could cause problems.
More FIFA World Cup 2022:
Complete World Cup 2022 Match Schedule | Latest News
World Cup 2022 Quarterfinals
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| QF1: 1E/2F vs. 1G/2H | Dec. 9, Fri | 10 a.m. | Education City |
| QF2: 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D | Dec. 9, Fri | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
| QF3: 1F/2E vs. 1H/2G | Dec. 10, Sat | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
| QF4: 1B/2A vs. 1D/2C | Dec. 10, Sat | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup 2022 Semifinals
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| QF2 vs. QF1 | Dec. 13, Tues | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
| QF4 vs. QF3 | Dec. 14, Wed | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup 2022 3rd Place
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Semifinal losers | Dec. 17, Sat | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l |
World Cup 2022 Final
| Match | Date | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Semifinal winners | Dec. 18, Sun | 10 a.m. | Lusail |