Can England Win the 2022 World Cup?
England have not won an international tournament since 1966, but many feel that the 2022 Qatar World Cup might be different. Are they right? And how does the team rank alongside rivals for the win?
What’s Different in this World Cup?
It’s fair to say that the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar could diplomatically be described as surprising, given this is a country with winters as hot as a Portuguese summer. The fact that Qatari summers (June to August) have average highs of 108 Fahrenheit, or 42 Celsius, prompted the tournament to be shifted from its traditional summer slot to winter (which, as mentioned, is also pretty hot). But this in turn has led to domestic complications for numerous leagues, including the English Premier League, causing a fixture headache and scheduling changes to avoid clashes between home leagues and the World Cup.
World Cup 2022 Odds – England @ 15/2 with Betway
The Qatar World Cup is planned to run from 21 November to 18 December, finishing just ahead of Christmas in a tight period intended to avoid overlapping with the Winter Olympics, Christmas, or Ramadan. The stadia will be equipped with cooling systems designed to reduce the temperature by 36 Fahrenheit (20 Celsius) but it remains to be seen how effective these will be in open-air arenas. And while this may discomfort spectators, the real question is the potential impact on players. For the English, more at home in mild warmth or rain-soaked, overcast conditions, it will not exactly be a home away from home.
Betway has England at 15/2 to win the World Cup 2022 – the 3rd best odds to win. Betting on sport has always been popular in England, and Britons are also avid bettors when it comes to casino games too. Nothing’s more convenient than being able to combine the two at a single site, which is what Betway Casino does, and that’s why it’s popular in the UK. Whether you want to bet on England to win the World Cup or the EPL, or enjoy spinning reels and playing cards, there’s something for you.
The draw has yet to occur but is planned for April 2022. There will be eight groups of four teams each, with the top two from each group progressing to the knockout stages.
England’s Recent Form
England fans are always optimistic (regardless of the team’s actual chances). Ever since the famous home triumph of 1966 the home of football has dreamt of the World Cup returning, but it has not happened since. However, recent form has exceeded expectations to the extent that it is not only England fans but neutral observers who now have to consider the chances of England claiming the biggest prize of them all.
Euro 2020 was delayed by the pandemic’s disruption and actually occurred in 2021, and this saw England achieve their best ever result in the competition, reaching the final and finishing runner up. They drew with opponents Italy 1-1 in regular time before (a familiar story for England fans) losing on penalties. This was a massive improvement on their round of 16 loss to Iceland in the preceding tournament.
The 2018 World Cup also saw a surprising, and far better than average, England performance (Harry Kane ended up as the tournament’s top scorer). England (fresh off their Icelandic defeat in the Euros) managed to reach the semis, only to narrowly lose to Croatia in extra time, ultimately finishing fourth after being beaten by Belgium in the third place play-off match. Finishing top four in the last World Cup and reaching the finals of the Euros (and only losing on penalties) does suggest that England are in with a credible shot of winning the World Cup. But so are other teams.
Other Favourites for the Title
Even casual football fans will not be shocked to see Brazil are one of the favorites for the World Cup. The sport is fully ingrained in the culture of Brazil, who have achieved more titles in the tournament than anyone else (with a full five to their name). France, (fittingly, given the history between the country and England), are another serious rival who are considered by bookies to be more or less joint-favorites alongside Brazil. At the last World Cup, France were beaten in the semis by Belgium, the same team that put Brazil out in the quarters. Odds vary from one sportsbook to the next but at the time of writing France and Brazil are around the 6/1 mark for the title. England are a hair longer at 13/2.
Belgium are a little longer at 10/1 (they lost to Italy in the quarters at Euro 2020), while Italy, who won that tournament, are 8/1. Spain is also 8/1, while Argentina and Germany are the same odds as Belgium.
Historical weight matters. Brazil are always contenders, and a problem England may face is the Wimbledon factor. Tim Henman and then Andy Murray faced immense pressure to finally reclaim the men’s singles title after a very long wait, and it undoubtedly made things harder for both men (Murray, the finest tennis player the UK has produced in a century, did manage to win it in the end). England has found this to be stifling in the past. But recent tournament performances bode well and may suggest that this team has found a way to cope with the pressure and even thrive at the highest levels of international competition. Indeed, Gareth Southgate has spoken of the team’s mental resilience.
The Draw
The draw matters a lot, for obvious reasons. The fewer big beasts you have to play the better the chance of making the final and then winning it. It will be in April 2022 when the draw is made, and whether you bet before or after this is a significant decision.
The odds will likely shift, to a minor degree at least, once the groups and potential knockout routes are made apparent. Obviously, those with a seemingly easier path will have their odds shorten, while the odds on those facing the likes of Italy, France, Brazil, or England will lengthen. This matters more with outsiders because longer odds have more scope to tighten, and it is something to consider.
Can England Win?
Yes, is the short answer. The most recent international form is a strong positive. The climatic conditions may affect the team more than those from warmer climates, and the impact of this will be determined by how effective efforts to cool the stadia are. The English being keen bettors and football-mad may, however, make the odds on an England win lower due to the weight of money pressing down on the odds. And we do not yet know the draw.
It cannot be said that England are favorites, but they’re only just behind Brazil and France in the betting so they’re (at the moment) a top three contender for the title. Are they worth a bet? They might well be, given their recent results in international competitions. As always, only bet what you can afford to lose. And if you think it’ll go to penalties, bet on England’s opponents.
