NATIONS - WCQ playoff draw: North American nations offered boost
The draw for FIFA's intercontinental playoffs took place on Friday, giving North American nations hoping to qualify for the 2022 World Cup a boost.
If the US or Canada finish fourth in CONCACAF's final World Cup qualifying round - the "Octagonal" - they'll face an Oceania region (OFC) team to see who gets a ticket to Qatar.
On June 13 or 14, a neutral location will host a single-elimination match. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, OFC qualifying has yet to begin, although New Zealand is the overwhelming favorite to be the region's playoff representative for the fourth consecutive World Cup cycle.
The fifth-place finisher from South American qualification will face a participant from Asia - possibly Australia or Japan - in the other intercontinental playoff.
Though the CONMEBOL standings is still tight, it appears that one of Colombia, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, or Paraguay will qualify for the playoffs; Brazil and Argentina have already qualified for the World Cup, and Ecuador is on the edge of doing so as well.
The CONCACAF aspirants will benefit from avoiding those prospective opponents.
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