2022 World Cup draw results, odds: Team USA opens vs. Wales, Scotland or Ukraine November 21; England, Iran also in Group B

After embarrassingly not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup – previously reaching the Round of 16 in 2010 & '14 – the Americans earlier this week qualified for the 2022 version of the world's biggest sporting event, which begins Monday, Nov. 21 in Qatar. The draw was held Friday, and Team USA, ranked 15th in the world, is in Group B with England, Iran and the winner of a European playoff between Scotland, Wales and Ukraine. To win the tournament, the Americans are +10000 long shots at Caesars Sportsbook, and that's clearly a pipe dream.

Here's what SportsLine soccer expert Jon "Buckets" Eimer said immediately after the draw: "We should expect England to get out of this, but the second spot is definitely open for the USMNT to make a run. It wasn't a perfect group for us, but it could have been much, much worse. I would say US has the easiest group out of the CONCACAF teams as well."

It's the first World Cup held in the Arab world and was moved from its usual months of May/June/July to the fall because of the heat in Qatar. It also will be played in a reduced timeframe of just 28 days. The final is Dec. 18 at Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail. At 4,416 square miles, Qatar will be the smallest country to ever host a World Cup as it's smaller than Connecticut. The only states that are smaller than Qatar are Delaware and Rhode Island.

The 32 teams were drawn from four pots Friday into eight groups of four nations. The top two in each group will advance to the knockout rounds. Five of the eight groups have a maximum of two European teams as 13 qualified. There could be no more than one team from any other confederation. So, the USA couldn't be drawn against Canada, for example. Qatar was an automatic entry to the World Cup as the host nation and automatically placed in Group A.

World No. 5 England is +700 to win the World Cup and obviously will be favored to win Group B. The Americans and English last played in November 2018, a friendly in London won by the Three Lions 3-0. They have met twice in the World Cup: In 2010, they drew 1-1, and in 1950 the Americans pulled one of the biggest upsets in soccer history with a 1-0 victory. The USA and England will face off Friday, Nov. 25 – the day after Thanksgiving.

World No. 21 Iran is +25000 to win the World Cup. The USA hasn't faced the Iranians since a 1-1 draw in a 2000 friendly and their lone World Cup matchup was a 2-1 Iran win in 1998. Obviously, facing Iran in the Arab world isn't ideal for the Americans.

As for the USA's opening opponent on Nov. 21, that won't be known until June. Scotland and Ukraine were supposed to play March 24, but that was postponed for obvious reasons in Ukraine. If the situation in Ukraine does not improve and that match can't happen, it's not clear what will happen. The winner of that match in June, if there is one, was to face Wales for the final spot in Group B. Wales is the highest-ranked team among that trio at No. 18 in the world. 

If it is Wales, Group B might be the Group of Death with four teams ranked in the Top 21 in the world.The winner of Group B faces the runner-up of Group A and the runner-up of Group B faces the winner of Group A (probably the Netherlands) in the knockout round. 

Odds to win Group B

• England -350
• Scotland/Ukraine/Wales +550
• USA +600
• Iran +1800

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