Sports
Mapped: The 32 Teams Playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Mapped: The 32 Teams Playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world—in 2018, nearly 3.6 billion people tuned in to watch the tournament.
Starting on November 20th, that excitement will return as 32 teams from around the world will compete in the 22nd FIFA World Cup Championship in Qatar.
This graphic by Athul Alexander shows the teams that will be playing against one another this year, and their latest pre-tournament FIFA rankings.
The Ranks of the 32 Qualifying Teams
The FIFA World Ranking is used to compare the 211 teams that are part of the FIFA association. They attempt to measure the progression and current ability of the each national football team.
The ranking is determined using a number of different metrics, including the number of games a team has won and how “important” those results were, such as in major tournaments or against strong opponents.
But high-ranking teams don’t qualify for the World Cup directly. Instead, ranks are used for seeding in regional qualifying tournaments, as each region (also known as a “confederation”) has a select number of slots.
This means that every World Cup, many lower-ranked teams end up qualifying for the event over higher-ranked teams. For 2022, the biggest example of this is Italy’s national team (ranked #6), which failed to qualify.
Here’s a look at the World Ranking of the 32 qualifying teams, as of Oct 6, 2022:
Country | FIFA Rank | Total Points |
---|---|---|
🇧🇷 Brazil | 1 | 1841.30 |
🇧🇪 Belgium | 2 | 1816.71 |
🇦🇷 Argentina | 3 | 1773.88 |
🇫🇷 France | 4 | 1759.78 |
🏴 England | 5 | 1728.47 |
🇪🇸 Spain | 7 | 1715.22 |
🇳🇱 Netherlands | 8 | 1694.51 |
🇵🇹 Portugal | 9 | 1676.56 |
🇩🇰 Denmark | 10 | 1666.57 |
🇩🇪 Germany | 11 | 1650.21 |
🇭🇷 Croatia | 12 | 1645.64 |
🇲🇽 Mexico | 13 | 1644.89 |
🇺🇾 Uruguay | 14 | 1638.71 |
🇨🇭 Switzerland | 15 | 1635.92 |
🇺🇸 USA | 16 | 1627.48 |
🇸🇳 Senegal | 18 | 1584.38 |
🏴 Wales | 19 | 1569.82 |
🇮🇷 IR Iran | 20 | 1564.61 |
🇷🇸 Serbia | 21 | 1563.62 |
🇲🇦 Morocco | 22 | 1563.50 |
🇯🇵 Japan | 24 | 1559.54 |
🇵🇱 Poland | 26 | 1548.59 |
🇰🇷 Korea Republic | 28 | 1530.30 |
🇹🇳 Tunisia | 30 | 1507.54 |
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 31 | 1503.59 |
🇦🇺 Australia | 38 | 1488.72 |
🇨🇦 Canada | 41 | 1475.00 |
🇨🇲 Cameroon | 43 | 1471.44 |
🇪🇨 Ecuador | 44 | 1464.39 |
🇶🇦 Qatar | 50 | 1439.89 |
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 51 | 1437.78 |
🇬🇭 Ghana | 61 | 1393.00 |
The highest-ranked team is Brazil with 1841.30 points. The South American team holds the record for most World Cup wins with five total—in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.
Next on the ranking is Belgium, with 1816.71 points. Belgium has yet to win the World Cup, however, in 2018 they made it to the semi-finals and ended up getting third place.
The Eight Groups for 2022
Each team’s ranking upon qualifying for the FIFA World Cup tournament is also used for seeding purposes to establish the groups.
The association first organizes the teams into four pots, based on their FIFA Ranking. Then, groups are established by randomly drawing teams from each pot.
Here’s a look at the eight different groups for 2022:
Group | Country (Top Rank) | Country (Top Middle Rank) | Country (Bottom Middle Rank) | Country (Bottom Rank) |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | Netherlands | Senegal | Ecuador | Qatar |
B | England | U.S. | Wales | Iran |
C | Argentia | Mexico | Poland | Saudi Arabia |
D | France | Denmark | Tunisia | Australia |
E | Spain | Germany | Japan | Costa Rica |
F | Belgium | Croatia | Morocco | Canada |
G | Brazil | Switzerland | Serbia | Cameroon |
H | Portugal | Uruguay | South Korea | Ghana |
The groups can’t have more than two teams from the same region, with the exception of Europe, which has double the amount of slots.
These groups will play each other in the first stage of the tournament, after which the top two teams from each group will move on to the bracket round.
Past FIFA World Cup Winners
Since 1930, the FIFA World Cup has been hosted every four years, apart from 1942 and 1946, when it was canceled during WWII.
Here’s a look at past cup winners, as well as the runner-ups, since 1930:
Year | Winning Team | Score | Runners-up |
---|---|---|---|
1930 | Uruguay | 4–2 | Argentina |
1934 | Italy | 2–1 | Czechoslovakia |
1938 | Italy | 4–2 | Hungary |
1950 | Uruguay | 2–1 | Brazil |
1954 | West Germany | 3–2 | Hungary |
1958 | Brazil | 5–2 | Sweden |
1962 | Brazil | 3–1 | Czechoslovakia |
1966 | England | 4–2 | West Germany |
1970 | Brazil | 4–1 | Italy |
1974 | West Germany | 2–1 | Netherlands |
1978 | Argentina | 3–1 | Netherlands |
1982 | Italy | 3–1 | West Germany |
1986 | Argentina | 3–2 | West Germany |
1990 | West Germany | 1–0 | Argentina |
1994 | Brazil | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–2 pen.) | Italy |
1998 | France | 3–0 | Brazil |
2002 | Brazil | 2–0 | Germany |
2006 | Italy | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–3 pen.) | France |
2010 | Spain | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Netherlands |
2014 | Germany | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Argentina |
2018 | France | 4–2 | Croatia |
*a.e.t mean “won after extra time,” pen. means “won by penalty kicks”
What’s expected for this year? While it’s technically anyone’s game, Brazil has a 15/4 chance of winning this year’s cup, according to bet365.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.
Maps
Mapped: Countries Where People Don’t Exercise Enough
This map shows the share of people in each country who don’t get enough exercise per week. Stark regional patterns emerge.

Mapped: Countries Where People Don’t Exercise Enough
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- Two-thirds of the UAE isn’t getting enough exercise, the highest rate for any country in this study.
- In West and South Asia, around half the population falls short of recommended physical activity levels.
- Roughly one in three Americans aren’t hitting the minimum exercise mark.
The World Health Organization recommends 2.5 hours of moderate activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous activity every week.
What counts as moderate and vigorous activity?
A good rule of thumb is checking heart rate and breathing. If you can talk but not sing while doing the activity (walking, hiking), then it’s a moderate level of exercise.
Running and high-intensity sports are in the vigorous zone.
Using the latest data from a study published by The Lancet Global Health in 2024, we map the countries by the share of their population who aren’t meeting minimum exercise requirements.
Ranked: Countries That Don’t Get Enough Exercise
At the very top of the list, two-thirds of UAE’s population isn’t meeting minimum physical activity guidelines. This is the highest rate for any country in the study.
Rank | Country/Territory | % of population with insufficient physical activity |
---|---|---|
1 | 🇦🇪 UAE | 66% |
2 | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 63% |
3 | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 61% |
4 | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 59% |
5 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 58% |
6 | 🇵🇦 Panama | 58% |
7 | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 54% |
8 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 52% |
9 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 52% |
10 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 52% |
11 | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 50% |
12 | 🇮🇳 India | 49% |
13 | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 49% |
14 | 🇮🇷 Iran | 46% |
15 | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 46% |
16 | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 46% |
17 | 🇱🇾 Libya | 46% |
18 | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 46% |
19 | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 45% |
20 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 45% |
21 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 45% |
22 | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 45% |
23 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 44% |
24 | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 44% |
25 | 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts & Nevis | 42% |
26 | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 42% |
27 | 🇧🇿 Belize | 42% |
28 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 41% |
29 | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 41% |
30 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 41% |
31 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 40% |
32 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 40% |
33 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 40% |
34 | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 39% |
35 | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 39% |
36 | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 39% |
37 | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 39% |
38 | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 39% |
39 | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 39% |
40 | 🇨🇱 Chile | 38% |
41 | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | 38% |
42 | 🇸🇾 Syria | 38% |
43 | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 37% |
44 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 37% |
45 | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 37% |
46 | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 37% |
47 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 37% |
48 | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 37% |
49 | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 37% |
50 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 37% |
51 | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 36% |
52 | 🇬🇩 Grenada | 36% |
53 | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 36% |
54 | 🇳🇷 Nauru | 36% |
55 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 35% |
56 | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 35% |
57 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 35% |
58 | 🇵🇪 Peru | 35% |
59 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 34% |
60 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 34% |
61 | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 34% |
62 | 🇺🇸 U.S. | 34% |
63 | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 33% |
64 | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 33% |
65 | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 33% |
66 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 32% |
67 | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 32% |
68 | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 32% |
69 | 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde | 31% |
70 | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 31% |
71 | 🇩🇲 Dominica | 31% |
72 | 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | 31% |
73 | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 30% |
74 | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 30% |
75 | 🇲🇱 Mali | 30% |
76 | 🇵🇸 Palestine | 30% |
77 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 29% |
78 | 🇫🇲 Micronesia | 29% |
79 | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 29% |
80 | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 29% |
81 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 29% |
82 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 28% |
83 | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 28% |
84 | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 28% |
85 | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 28% |
86 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 28% |
87 | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 28% |
88 | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 27% |
89 | 🇦🇩 Andorra | 27% |
90 | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 27% |
91 | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 27% |
92 | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 27% |
93 | 🇮🇱 Israel | 27% |
94 | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 26% |
95 | 🇵🇼 Palau | 26% |
96 | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 26% |
97 | 🇸🇲 San Marino | 26% |
98 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 26% |
99 | 🇲🇨 Monaco | 26% |
100 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 25% |
101 | 🇨🇰 Cook Islands | 25% |
102 | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 25% |
103 | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 25% |
104 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 25% |
105 | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 24% |
106 | 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | 24% |
107 | 🇦🇱 Albania | 24% |
108 | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 24% |
109 | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 24% |
110 | 🇨🇳 China | 24% |
111 | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 23% |
112 | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 23% |
113 | 🇫🇷 France | 23% |
114 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 23% |
115 | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 23% |
116 | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 23% |
117 | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 23% |
118 | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 22% |
119 | 🇲🇲 Myanmar | 22% |
120 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 22% |
121 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 22% |
122 | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 21% |
123 | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 21% |
124 | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 21% |
125 | 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | 21% |
126 | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 21% |
127 | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 20% |
128 | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 20% |
129 | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 20% |
130 | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 20% |
131 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 20% |
132 | 🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire | 20% |
133 | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 20% |
134 | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 19% |
135 | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 19% |
136 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 19% |
137 | 🇬🇧 UK | 19% |
138 | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 19% |
139 | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 19% |
140 | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 19% |
141 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 19% |
142 | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 18% |
143 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 18% |
144 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 18% |
145 | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 18% |
146 | 🇧🇯 Benin | 18% |
147 | 🇹🇩 Chad | 18% |
148 | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 18% |
149 | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 18% |
150 | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 18% |
151 | 🇦🇴 Angola | 17% |
152 | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 17% |
153 | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 17% |
154 | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 17% |
155 | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 17% |
156 | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 17% |
157 | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 17% |
158 | 🇸🇸 South Sudan | 16% |
159 | 🇳🇪 Niger | 16% |
160 | 🇨🇬 Congo | 16% |
161 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 16% |
162 | 🇱🇦 Laos | 16% |
163 | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 16% |
164 | 🇨🇩 DRC | 15% |
165 | 🇹🇬 Togo | 15% |
166 | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 15% |
167 | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 15% |
168 | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 14% |
169 | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 14% |
170 | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 14% |
171 | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 14% |
172 | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 14% |
173 | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 14% |
174 | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 13% |
175 | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 13% |
176 | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 13% |
177 | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 13% |
178 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 12% |
179 | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 12% |
180 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 12% |
181 | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 12% |
182 | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 11% |
183 | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 10% |
184 | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 10% |
185 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 10% |
186 | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 9% |
187 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 9% |
188 | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 9% |
189 | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 9% |
190 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 9% |
191 | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 8% |
192 | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 8% |
193 | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 8% |
194 | 🇳🇺 Niue | 7% |
195 | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 6% |
196 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 4% |
197 | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 3% |
Note: Data collected between 2022–2024, via surveys and national statistics programs, published August 2024. Figures are age-standardized, averaged between sexes, and rounded.
In fact, the Middle East and West and South Asia are all swathes of red—indicating about half of the population isn’t exercising enough.
On the other hand, East and Southeast Asian countries are a little better when it comes to physical activity.
Interestingly Japan—known for their longevity—isn’t technically exercising enough by the specified guidelines. However the Japanese are also known for their walkable cities and excellent diet, both points in their favor.
Meanwhile, most people in Europe and Africa meet the requirements. Sub-Saharan Africa in particular is very active, but there are economic reasons at play here as well: a greater share of the population in poorer countries are often employed in subsistence farming or manual labor.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
To see the correlation between exercise levels and incomes check out The Global Population by Income Group for a quick overview.
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