Football News: World Cup 2022 Qualification the Goal for New Zealand All Whites
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The reality is that were the New Zealand All Whites to win football’s World Cup 2022 in Qatar, it would almost certainly register as the greatest sporting upset in the universe.
The bookmakers certainly don’t see it happening, with Betway Sports giving betting odds of 1500/1 on New Zealand being crowned world champions. ”Miracles” do happen in sport of course, with Leicester City winning the English Premier League at 5000/1 a few years ago being a case in point, but Winston Reid lifting the Word Cup trophy on 18 December 2022 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium is perhaps a dream too far?
Brazil are the early ante-post favourites to win World Cup 2022 at 13/2 with bet365. They are followed by defending champions France at 7/1 with Betway, then Germany and Spain at 9/1 with bet365, England at 10/1 with William Hill and Argentina and Belgium at 12/1 with bet365 and Betway respectively.
Now could be the time to have an early bet on the World Cup 2022 winner if you’re looking for some great value odds at the bookies. They will add a free bet when you make your first deposit as most online bookmakers too, so there is even more reason to take advantage of those attractive early World Cup betting odds.
Qualification Begins in March 2021
Although New Zealand might have precious little hope of winning the ultimate prize, they will begin their quest to secure a place at the World Cup Finals 2022 in Qatar in March 2021 in the first round of Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) qualifiers.
With a current FIFA world ranking of 122, New Zealand are deemed to be the best team in Oceania at present, although the Solomon Islands are not too far behind with a ranking of 141.
Nonetheless, the All Whites will be firm favourites with the bookies to come through as winners of the OFC qualification stage and take their place in the inter-confederation play-offs that will feature one team each from the AFC, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL and OFC.
The four teams will then be drawn into two ties, each being two-legged home-and-away, with the winners of each going to the World Cup finals in Qatar.
Counting on Chris
The man on whom New Zealand will be counting on more than most to score the goals to take them to Qatar is striker Chris Wood. The 28 year-old is on the books of English Premier League club Burnley, where he is best odds of 100/1 with bet365 to finish as the Premier League’s top goalscorer in the 2020-21 season.
Head coach Danny Hay (like Wood, a former Leeds United player) perhaps doesn’t have the deepest pool of talent at his disposal, but there is quality besides Wood in the likes of Sarpreet Singh (the 21 year-old attacking midfielder currently on loan at FC Nürnberg from Bayern Munich) and the veteran Reid at the back.
The All Whites previously appeared in the World Cup finals in 1982 and 2010 and although a third appearance is a tough ask, it is by no means impossible.