Against the odds, Morocco beat out European sides and pre-tournament favorites Croatia and Belgium for the top spot in Group F, advancing to the Round of 16 for only the second time in the nation's history.
Croatia joined the Atlas Lions by finishing as the group runners-up, one point ahead of No. 2-ranked Belgium who were eliminated in the group phase.
Morocco and Croatia were consistent throughout all three matches, but the Moroccan side had a little more magic and dynamism to their game, beating both Canada and Belgium. They only gave up a single goal in the group hase and that was an own goal in the group finale.
Belgium have the air of a team whose cycle has come to an end. The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, and Eden Hazard couldn't get it done and De Bruyne himself called the team old and ruled it out of the World Cup title race before the group stage was complete.
Canada, in their first World Cup since 1986, lost all three matches but will take the experience with it as it prepares to host the World Cup with the USA and Mexico in 2026. Les Rouges were entertaining, attack-minded and showed promise for the future.
WORLD CUP GROUPS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D
Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H
World Cup Group F standings
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Morocco-Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 |
| 2. Croatia-Q | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | +3 |
| 3. Belgium-E | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 4. Canada-E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | -5 |
- Q = Qualified to Round of 16
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group F results
| Date | Match | |
| Wed, Nov. 23 | Morocco 0, Croatia 0 | HIGHLIGHTS |
| Wed, Nov. 23 | Belgium 1, Canada 0 | HIGHLIGHTS |
| Sun, Nov. 27 | Belgium 0, Morocco 2 | HIGHLIGHTS |
| Sun, Nov. 27 | Croatia 4, Canada 1 | HIGHLIGHTS |
| Thurs, Dec. 1 | Croatia 0, Belgium 0 | HIGHLIGHTS |
| Thurs, Dec. 1 | Canada 1, Morocco 2 | HIGHLIGHTS |
The four teams selected into the group played a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. Group standings were based on points from those three group-stage matches — three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss.
The top two teams from each group based on total points advanced to the single-elimination knockouts. If teams were tied on points, which did not occur in Group F, goal difference would have been the first tiebreaker followed by goals scored. If teams were also tied in those categories another set of tiebreakers was applied.
World Cup Group F teams
Belgium
Belgium until recently were ranked as the No, 1 team in the world, but they were recently replaced by Brazil and the descent could be just beginning for the Red Devils as the golden generation reached its low point in Qatar with group stage elimination.
Manager Roberto Martinez must have been hoping that 2022 would finally be the occasion when the Red Devils lived up to the pre-tournament expectations, but they fell flat from the very first match. Martinez announced his departure following their group stage ouster.
Although Belgium won the first match 1-0, Canada dominated the Belgians. Then Belgium fell to Morocco before being held to a draw by Croatia, and they were shut out on both occasions. The misses by Romelu Lukaku in the final match against Croatia loom large.
Belgium went out in the quarterfinals at Euro 2021 and were beaten in the semis at the 2018 World Cup. But those days seem in the distant past.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 2 (November, 2022)
- Regional ranking: 1st (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: — (0)
- World Cup appearances (last): 13 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: UEFA Group E winners: 6W-0L-2D
- Coach: Roberto Martinez (Spain) since August, 2016
- Key players: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City / England), Romelu Lukaku (Inter / Italy), Eden Hazard (Real Madrid / Spain)
MORE: Belgium World Cup squad in Qatar
Croatia
Croatia surprised many people by reaching the final of the 2018 World Cup, where they lost to France, but they didn’t fare quite so well at Euro 2021, as they were eliminated at the Round of 16 stage.
Led by Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, who despite his advancing years remains a superb player, the Croatians got the job done and qualified as group runner-up, but they didn't stand out for their performances in Group F.
Croatia stormed through qualifying and lost just once — the opening fixture in Slovenia. In Qatar they slogged their way through two 0-0 draws (vs. Morocco and Belgium) and then exploded for a 4-1 win over a naive Canada side. They will not find teams as unforgiving in the knockouts in Qatar.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 12 (November, 2022)
- Regional ranking: 10th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 5 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: UEFA Group H winners: 7W-1L-2D
- Coach: Zlatko Dalic (Croatia) since October, 2017
- Key players: Luka Modric (Real Madrid / Spain), Ivan Perisic (Tottenham / England), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan / Italy)
MORE: Croatia World Cup squad in Qatar
Morocco
Morocco showed why they are regarded as one of the strongest teams on the African continent, winning their group and advancing to the knockout stages for only the second time in their history (first time since 1986).
They did it by showcasing an effective style of play: airtight defending and timely attacking play. The Atlas Lions only allowed a single goal during the group stage, and that was an own goal.
Meanwhile, their goals came from a variety of players: Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla), Zakaria Aboukhlal (Toulouse), and even defender Romain Saiss (Besiktas) got in on the action.
The team seems to be responding well to new manager Walid Regragui, a former Morocco international (45 caps), who took over for Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic in August. Regragui's arrival has meant the return to the fold of Ziyech, who had a falling out with the former coach.
Morocco sent a warning as to what they were capable of in Qatar when they progressed to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in 2022. They hope to make as deep a run in Qatar.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 22 (November, 2022)
- Regional ranking: 2nd (CAF)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 5 (Russia 2018)
- How qualified: (CAF Third Round winner: (agg 5-2 vs. DR Congo)
- Coach: Vahid Halilhodzic (Bosnia) since August, 2019
- Key players: Sofaine Boufal (Angers / France), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain / France), Romain Saiss (Besiktas / Turkey)
Canada
Canada will be participating in the World Cup for the first time in 36 years following an impressive qualification campaign that led all the way to the winners’ spot in the CONCACAF standings.
There were emotional scenes from both players and fans as they closed out the spot in Qatar by beating Jamaica 4-0 in Toronto, in late March, with talisman Alphonso Davies breaking down in tears live on his Twitch stream as he watched his teammates complete the job.
Davies’ absence for that match was due to him suffering with myocarditis — inflammation of the heart — after catching COVID-19, and Canada will need the Bayern Munich winger firing on all cylinders to have hopes of advancing. Coach John Herdman will be out to make his own piece of history, as he becomes the first person to lead a team at both the women’s and men’s World Cup.
- Current FIFA world ranking: No. 41 (November, 2022)
- Regional ranking: 4th (CONCACAF)
- World Cup titles: —
- World Cup appearances (last): 1 (Mexico, 1986)
- How qualified: (CONCACAF winners: 8W-2L-4D)
- Coach: John Herdman (England) since January, 2018
- Key players: Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC / Canada), Junior Hoilett (Reading / England), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich / Germany)
MORE: Canada's 26-man roster in Qatar
World Cup Group F odds and predictions
Here are the odds for each team to win and qualify from the group, with odds provided by Sports Interaction (as of November 2022).
Minus odds is what must be wagered to win $100 on that specific bet, while plus odds represent the winnings from a successful $100 wager.
The first-place and second-place finishers in Group F will move on to the Round of 16 and will face off against the two teams to advance from Group E on Monday, Dec. 5, and Tuesday, Dec. 6.
| Team | Group Winner | To Qualify |
| Belgium | -156 | -1000 |
| Croatia | +257 | -172 |
| Canada | +612 | +219 |
| Morocco | +1000 | +206 |
MORE WORLD CUP 2022:
Full Qatar 2022 schedule | Latest news
The official FIFA 2022 World Cup match schedule outlines the following knockout pairings for the Round of 16 through to the final:
World Cup Round of 16
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 3 | 1A vs. 2B | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int'l |
| Sat, Dec. 3 | 1C vs. 2D | 2 p.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali |
| Sun, Dec. 4 | 1D vs. 2C | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
| Sun, Dec. 4 | 1B vs. 2A | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
| Mon, Dec. 5 | 1E vs. 2F | 10 a.m. | Al Janoub |
| Mon, Dec. 5 | 1G vs. 2H | 2 p.m. | Stadium 974 |
| Tues, Dec. 6 | 1F vs. 2E | 10 a.m. | Education City |
| Tues, Dec. 6 | 1H vs. 2G | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
World Cup Quarterfinals
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 9 | QF1: 1E/2F vs. 1G/2H | 10 a.m. | Education City |
| Fri, Dec. 9 | QF2: 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
| Sat, Dec. 10 | QF3: 1F/2E vs. 1H/2G | 10 a.m. | Al Thumama |
| Sat, Dec. 10 | QF4: 1B/2A vs. 1D/2C | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup Semifinals
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Tues, Dec. 13 | QF2 vs. QF1 | 2 p.m. | Lusail |
| Wed, Dec. 14 | QF4 vs. QF3 | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt |
World Cup 3rd Place
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 17 | Semifinal losers | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int'l |
World Cup Final
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sun, Dec. 18 | Semifinal winners | 10 a.m. | Lusail |