World Cup draw pencils in clashes with France, Denmark and Tunisia if Socceroos qualify

Australia faces an opening date with holders France should they make it to the World Cup finals in Qatar.

The Socceroos were drawn on Friday in a difficult — and eerily familiar-looking group D alongside the 2018 world champions as well as Denmark and Tunisia, but they have to first get through two tough play-off ties in June.

Remarkably, they also played both Denmark and France in the 2018 group stages in Russia, losing to the champions and drawing with the Danes as they ended up being eliminated at the bottom of the group.

Of course, though, it is far from a done deal that Australia will even make it to the big show.

Graham Arnold's side must first beat the United Arab Emirates in the Asian play-off in Doha on June 7 and then Peru in the inter-continental play-off a week later, just to make it to the finals in November and December.

But if Australia can successfully negotiate those two one-off matches — a big ask on the strength of their recent form — they will be the first opponents for France on November 22 as Didier Deschamps's side sets out on its title defence.

The Socceroos would then play Tunisia, traditionally one of Africa's strongest sides, on November 26, with the final group match being on November 30 against Denmark.

The times and venues for those fixtures will be decided later this month, as FIFA tries to allocate matches to prime broadcast slots for viewers in a team's home country.

New Zealand, which must also first try to win a tough inter-continental play-off against Costa Rica, has been drawn in the obligatory «group of death» with former winners Spain and Germany, as well as Japan.

Other highlights of Friday's draw in the Qatari capital Doha include the United States facing England and Iran in a highly