WATCH the official draw for the 2022 FIFA World Cup LIVE, FREE and in HD on SBS and SBS On Demand this Saturday from 3am (AEDT).
World Cup draw process
The procedures approved by the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions have outlined that participating nations will be divided into four pots based on the most recent men's world rankings, set to be released on March 31.
Countries occupying spots one through seven on FIFA's list will comprise Pot 1, the governing body announced, with hosts Qatar joining them from the A1 position.
From there, Pot 2 will feature positions eight to 15, with the best-ranked nations from spots 16 to 23 joining Pot 3, before Pot 4 includes the remaining sides who qualified for Qatar.
As of writing, 29 teams are guaranteed a place in the upcoming World Cup, and the Socceroos could yet join them depending on their performance in the play-offs.
The draw will begin with Pot 1 and end with Pot 4, with each one being completely emptied of its balls before moving on.
According to the standard draw procedure, when a ball from a 'team' pot is drawn, it will then be joined by a ball from one of the 'group' pots - determining the exact position the nation will play in.
Teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn together in the same group, save for UEFA, who are represented by 13 nations.
For fans and pundits alike, it's an exciting time to follow the beautiful game, in what is one of the final few pieces of the puzzle before kick-off in Qatar this November.
What's next for the Socceroos?
Graham Arnold's side finished third in their AFC qualifying group and will first face the United Arab Emirates in a do-or-die one-legged play-off match in Doha on June 7, where only a win would set up an intercontinental showdown with CONMEBOL representatives Peru.
If Australia are successful in both fixtures, they will be the nation likely to be left unnamed when pulled from the pile at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center on Saturday.
Socceroos fans will at least have a clear picture on who Australia could face in the group stages, if successful in the playoffs.
Tune in Saturday from 3am (AEDT) to watch the official 2022 FIFA World Cup draw LIVE, FREE and in HD on SBS and SBS On Demand.
Confirmed nations at 2022 FIFA World Cup (29)
- Japan
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Qatar
- Germany
- Denmark
- Belgium
- France
- Croatia
- Spain
- Serbia
- England
- Switzerland
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Canada
- Mexico
- USA
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Ecuador
- Uruguay
- Senegal
- Ghana
- Cameroon
- Morocco
- Tunisia
Remaining World Cup qualifiers (3 nations still to qualify)
AFC play-off: Socceroos v UAE - June 7
UEFA play-off: Wales v Scotland or Ukraine - June
Intercontinental play-offs: Socceroos or UAE v Peru - June 13 or 14
Intercontinental play-offs: Costa Rica v New Zealand - June 13 or 14
