2022 FIFA World Cup – Group F details, prediction and broadcast details

Topics: Belgium, Croatia, Morocco, Canada, TV Schedules, TV Listings, Streaming Info, 2022 FIFA World Cup

Group F is comprised of Belgium, Croatia, Canada, and Morocco. Which of these teams will progress, and who will end up heading back home early?

Group F, which is comprised of Belgium, Morocco, Canada, and Croatia, could be a fascinating one for fans to follow. Canada are back in the tournament for the first time since 1986, and led by a crop of promising young stars, the Canucks will hope to upset the odds. Meanwhile, time is running out for Belgium's "Golden Generation" to finally get their hands on some major silverware, while Croatia, who shocked everyone by their run to the 2018 World Cup finals, will be keen to prove that that wasn't a fluke. Finally, Morocco, who are the second-highest ranking African side in this competition as per FIFA, will be looking to show that they are not just here to make up the numbers.

Here's a quick look at who's who in Group F.

Team Descriptions: Who's who in Group F

Belgium: Currently ranked second in the world, the pressure will be on Belgium to finally end their hoodoo at major tournaments. For the longest time, they were actually ranked first, which raised some major eyebrows considering the fact that Belgium have yet to actually win any titles. Time is running out for the team's stars to end their frustrating run, especially as quite a few faces are now in their late 20's and early 30's. Will they finally succeed or will they come up short again?

Canada: Back in the World Cup for the first time since 1986, Canada are going to be navigating through some unchartered territory in Qatar. Led by a group of exciting young stars, including Bayern's Alphonso Davies, the Canucks will face a tough battle, but can certainly use this experience to build on ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which they will be hosting alongside the USA and Mexico.

Morocco: Morocco will be hoping to get out of the group stage for the first time since 1986, but that obviously will be much easier said than done. This is the second time in their history that the North African nation have successfully qualified for back to back World Cups, but history really is not on their side - and that is not mentioning the tough opposition they will face in the group stages.

Croatia: Last, but certainly not least, we have Croatia. The Vatreni arguably were the surprise of the tournament four years ago by making it all the way to the final. No one, perhaps except Croatian supporters, really gave them much of a chance, but it is often said that in the absence of expectations, success can arrive in an unexpected fashion. Due to his strong showings for his national side, as well as for Real Madrid, Luka Modric became the first player to break the two-party hold of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the Ballon d'Or by deservedly taking home the huge personal accolade. It will be interesting to see how Croatia fare, as they have a mixed record at past World Cups.

Must-Watch Games in Group F

Belgium vs Canada: Back in their first World Cup in 36 years, it will be very interesting to see how Canada fare on the biggest stage. Certainly, Les Rouges will really need to be on top of their game, as they will take on the second-ranked side in the world, Belgium, in their tournament opener. However, if John Herdman's side can get some kind of result here, they just may be able to set themselves up for a knockout round berth. As for Belgium, the pressure will be on them to hit the ground running as the Red Devils are expected to battle Croatia for top spot in Group F.

Croatia vs Belgium: Depending on how Croatia's matches against Morocco and Canada go, as well as Belgium's against the same opponents, this game, which will take place on matchday three, could end up deciding who finishes as Group F's winners and who has to settle for a trickier opponent in the round of 16 as the quartet's runner-up. Of course, anything is possible, and Morocco and Canada could be in contention for a knockout round depending on how things go, but certainly a match featuring the 2018 World Cup finalists against highly-rated Belgium will be one not to miss.

Key Players: Who could make an impact for their teams?

Belgium: Romelu Lukaku

Belgium do have a star-studded squad, with names like Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, and Romelu Lukaku all being household names. Lukaku, who has netted 68 goals so far for Belgium, is his country's all-time top goal-scorer. However, the 29-year-old has struggled for form and fitness since his move back to Inter earlier this year, meaning that there will be major concerns for head coach Roberto Martinez as to how to manage him during the tournament in Qatar.

Canada: Alphonso Davies

His story really could make a great Netflix documentary someday. Alphonso Davies might only be 21 years old, but his experiences are more than what many people go through in 80 years. Born in a refugee camp in Ghana, he arrived in Canada as a youngster, and quickly emerged as a breakout star in his adopted nation, which led to a big money move to Bayern Munich. Since arriving in Germany, he has set numerous records, including becoming the first Canadian international to win the Champions League, and played a huge role in Bayern's sextuple winning season in 2020. Despite being sidelined with a bout of myocarditis that caused him to miss out on several of Canada's qualifying matches, Davies is now back fighting fit and will be anticipated by many to really be a go-to player for Herdman's side in Qatar.

Morocco: Hakim Ziyech

The appointment of Walid Regragui after Vahid Halilhodzic's sacking means that Hakim Ziyech has ended his self-imposed exile from the Morocco national squad. Ziyech, who plays his club football for Chelsea, quit the team after being snubbed for the AFCON tournament, but after Halilhodzic was fired in August, decided to make a U-turn and return to the squad. Although the 29-year-old has failed to really replicate the same blistering form that made him a huge star at Ajax, fans will nonetheless hope to see him find his best form under a new manager during the upcoming World Cup.

Croatia: Luka Modric

At 37, this will be Modric's last World Cup, or, as the player mentioned not too long ago, his last major international tournament. However, the Zadar-born midfielder has not let his advancing age slow him down as he again played a key role in Real Madrid's Champions League success that saw Los Blancos win their 14th title. With over 150 caps, he's the most capped played in his country's history, and Modric is expected to again lead by example as the Vatreni, who are also bolstered by veterans such as Ivan Perisic, Marcelo Brozovic, and Mateo Kovacic, aim to successfully navigate their way through the 2022 FIFA World Cup.