In every edition of the World Cup, there is a group of teams that no one would want to face, at least in the early rounds when they have not yet warmed up. This is determined by the Final Draw. The Qatar 2022 one is very close to taking place and will determine the fate of the 29 teams that have qualified so far.
The group of undesirable teams in a World Cup is known as Top Seeds, and one of the privileges granted by their select membership is the opportunity to avoid crossing paths with each other at least during the Group stage. This guarantees spectacle for the decisive rounds and in Qatar 2022 this will be no exception.
What is already a fact is that none of the Concacaf representatives in Qatar 2022, Canada, Mexico, and the United States (Costa Rica could also qualify but will have the same fate), will be part of the Top Seeds of the upcoming FIFA World Cup Final Draw. What will be the reason for this exclusion?
How are the National Teams of the Top Seeds of the Final Draw defined?
There are 4 pots in the FIFA World Cup Final Draw. In each of them, there are 8 teams. The first one is set aside for the Top Seeds, which includes the host country of the tournament. For Qatar 2022, the members of this group are Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, Argentina, England, Spain, and Portugal.
This has a reason that is entirely based on practicality, outside of any discriminatory tendency. The reason why none of the Concacaf teams participating in the upcoming FIFA World Cup is in Pot 1 of the Final Draw is simple: their performance does not allow it.
The four pots of the FIFA World Cup Final Draw are formed according to the FIFA Ranking of the qualified teams, except for the host country, which is inevitably positioned among the Top Seeds. Thus, if there is no Concacaf team in Pot 1, it is a matter of the results they have achieved over the last four years: Mexico is eighth, USMNTis15th, and Canada is 38th.
It is precisely Canada that can perfectly exemplify what a year of good results in official and friendly matches can achieve in the FIFA Ranking. Before the start of the last round of Concacaf Qualifiers (September 2021), John Herdmanās team was ranked 59th. After qualifying for Qatar 2022 as first in the standings, it is now the 38th best team in the world.
Canada National Team. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
When was the last time a Concacaf National Team was part of the World Cup Final Draw Top seeds?
It was in the run-up to the Final Draw for Germany 2006 that Concacafhad a representative in the Top Seeds group. At that time, Mexico was coached by Ricardo Antonio La Volpe, with whom it had, quite possibly, its best performance in the last 20 years. This led to a Top Seed in that draw. Since then, no Concacaf team has been placed higher than pot 2.
Mexico National Team, FIFA World Cup Germany 2006. (T. Quinn/WireImage)
