Who Will Play in the 2022 World Cup Final: Predictions and Favorites After the Playoffs Start

Qatar, which is the venue of the 22nd edition of the men's FIFA World Cup, has surely lived up to expectations so far. The event, which kicked off on the 20th of November 2022 and gradually closed out on the group stage, has recorded all facets of surprises and thrilling outcomes. There have been upsets, comebacks, late drama, elimination, broken records, and a lot of breathtaking moments, giving spectators around the world a reason to argue that this is one of the most entertaining World Cups in history. While you ponder about that, each team's coach has that drawing board set out, plotting possible means of getting past their opponent in the playoff round. On our part, we will keep you up to speed on the schedule of matches to be played in this Round of 16 stages.

Only half of the 32 teams who made it to the group stage of the World Cup are programmed to qualify for the play-off stage of the World Cup. Maximum points, superior goal difference, head-to-head record, and fair play in that order are all criteria for deciding the group winner and the runner-up. Each group winner is scheduled to play the runner-up of the next group, and this format cuts across the rest of the entire group. Like previous World Cups, fixtures have already been drawn up even before the commencement of the event, such that football lovers can tell which teams will likely play against each other if they occupy certain positions after their third match in the group stage fixtures. But if you have little or no knowledge of the playoff schedule, the list below is a timely recipe for the date and programmed fixtures of the Qatar 2022 World Cup playoff stage:

• Group A Winner Vs Group B Runner-up, Saturday 3rd December 2022;
• Group C Winner vs Group D Runner-up, Saturday 3rd December 2022;
• Group D Winner Vs Group C Runner-up, Sunday 4th December 2022;
• Group B Winners vs Group A Runner-up, Sunday 4th December 2022;
• Group E Winners vs Group F Runner-up, Monday 5th December 2022;
• Group G Winners vs Group H Runner-up, Monday 5th December 2022;
• Group F Winner vs Group E Runner-up, Tuesday 6th December 2022;
• Group H Winner vs Group G Runner-up, Tuesday 6th December 2022;

Apart from Portugal, France, and Brazil, the rest of the teams who made it to the Playoff stage had to wait till the third-leg encounter to confirm their spot in the round of sixteen. Group favorites like Netherlands, England, Spain Croatia, Argentina, and Croatia progressed as predicted with some having to shake off nervy starts to their World Cup campaign. Poland depended on the favor handed to them by Saudi Arabia to reach the play-off stage on goal difference, even after their defeat in the hands of Albiceleste. Japan pulled a stunt to beat Spain and Germany to top their group against bookmakers' prediction. Teams like Senegal and Morocco who made it through did so at the expense of Ecuador and Belgium respectively. In the euphoria of excitement that this stage comes with, dates have been fixed for the matches in the playoffs, and we have put them out here for your viewing.

• Saturday 3rd December 2022: Netherlands vs USA: Time: 3 pm GMT;
• Saturday 3rd December 2022: Argentina vs Australia. Time: 7 pm GMT;
• Sunday 4th December 2022: France vs Poland. Time 3 pm GMT;
• Sunday 4th December 2022: England vs Senegal. Time 8 pm GMT;
• Monday 5th December 2022: Japan vs Croatia. Time 3 pm GMT;
• Monday 5th December 2022: Group G Winner vs South Korea: Time 7 pm GMT;
• Tuesday 6th December 2022: Morocco vs Spain. Time 3 pm GMT;
• Tuesday 6th December 2022: Portugal vs Group G Runner-up Time 7 pm GMT;

The 64th and final match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be played by two teams who have endured the wear and tear of the group stage and knock-out phases. It becomes even more daunting to predict which two teams will overcome this hurdle and permeate these stages as a result of the talent, experience, and squad depth that each team who has made it through to the playoff stage possesses. But from an expert's perspective, one team out of the countries in Groups A, B, C, and D will play one out of the countries in Group E, F, G, and H in the finals as designed in the road map to the final in accordance to FIFA World Cup format. Favorites out of the first four groups are Argentina, France, England, and Netherlands, while the favorites in the next four are Spain, Croatia, Brazil, and Portugal. From these combinations, Les Blues' confidence just keeps soaring as the tournament progresses. Not only is Didier Deschamps's side the first team to book their place in the playoff, but also as defending champions can displace any team at any stage of the tournament. Electrifying Kylian Mbappé, whose brace against Denmark did not only match Zidane's 31 goals for the country, but made him the youngest player to score seven goals at the age of 23 outside Pele. With his form and that of his experienced teammates, we might just have the former world champions retain the title they won on Russian soil. Brazil on the other side has the attacking flair to breeze past opponents with ease. The skillful feet of Vinicious Junior, Raphinha, Goes Rodrygo, and the experience of Casemiro and Thiago Silva in midfield and defense respectively might just be difficult for opponents on their part to contend with. France vs Brazil is our anticipated encounter for the Qatar 2022 World Cup final. 

The table below shows different sportsbooks and their odds for our predicted teams to win the World Cup.