World Cup 2022 table: Group stage standings and England’s route to the final

Will England and Gareth Southgate end 56 years of hurt at the Qatar 2022 World Cup? Will Brazil live up to their favourites tag and lift the trophy? Or will a dark horse emerge triumphant?

The long-awaited tournament kicked off on November 20 with the host nation losing to Ecuador in Group A... and becoming the first team knocked out of their own tournament a few days later. In total there are 64 games taking place during a feast of football that runs until December 18.

You can pick your most likely winner with The Telegraph's World Cup predictor. Now the group stages are finished, choose who you think will navigate best through the knockouts.

There's also the small matter of the race for the Golden Boot. See the latest standings in that competition in our at-a-glance guide to the 2022 World Cup in numbers.

Which group were England and Wales in?

England and Wales were both drawn in Group B.

The Three Lions started with a 6-2 win over Iran while Wales drew 1-1 with the USA. Wales lost their second game to Iran before Gareth Southgate's side drew 0-0 with the USA.

That set up a crucial final-game clash between the two home nations, which the Three Lions dominated to top the group and send Wales packing from their first World Cup in 64 years at the group stage.

What are the other teams to keep an eye on?

Other leading teams include reigning champions France, who have won Group D, and who England could meet in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Japan and Spain qualified from Group E, while Portugal and South Korea emerged from Group H.

Brazil, the five-time champions, have progressed from Group G as group winners, with Switzerland finishing as runners-up.

Fellow South Americans Argentina were also tipped to go far in this year’s tournament, but were stunned by Saudi Arabia in their opening game in one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history before battling through to eventually finish as Group C winners.

What are the final group standings?

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