World Cup finals draw: Date, time, format, seeds

The stage is almost set for the 2022 World Cup, which begins on Nov. 21 through to the final on Dec. 18. Here's how the finals draw will work.

The draw ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. GMT, midday ET, 7 p.m. local time in Doha, Qatar on Friday, April 1.

So far, 20 of the 32 finalists are known. You can check out who's in, and who can still make it.

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Hosts Qatar, ranked 52 in the world by FIFA, will take a place in Pot 1 as hosts, as is always the protocol.

The 28 teams to have qualified are then seeded in order of their FIFA World Ranking, using the latest published list which will officially be confirmed on Thursday, March 31.

The top seven countries will join Qatar in Pot 1, with the next eight in Pot 2, the following eight in Pot 3, and the five lowest-ranked countries in Pot 4.

Pot 4 will then be completed with the playoff paths that will decide the three remaining finalists in June.

Teams in the same pot cannot face each other in the group stage.

— Ogden: How the World Cup contenders are shaping up

The draw will start with Pot 1, though it has already been established that Qatar will fill position 1 in Group A to play the opening game of the tournament. Qatar will have a different coloured ball to signify this, and it will be drawn first.

The rest of Pot 1 will then be allocated, one team in each group, in alphabetical order through to Group H.

The same process is then completed for Pots 2, 3 and 4. Each pot is drawn in its entirety before moving on to the next pot.

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