We’re only a few days away from the start of the 22nd FIFA World Cup on November 20, when the host country, Qatar, plays Ecuador. Here at NMA, we’re going all in on fantasy coverage, and the fixture difficulty table is a big part of that.

Let me explain how I put this matrix together. Since 2018, FIFA has used a complicated system to rank its teams (see here for their methodology). Brazil has the most points, with 1841.3, and Ghana has the fewest, with 1393 points and a global ranking of 61. So, the difference between Brazil and Ghana is 448.3 points. To make things easier, I’m going to round that difference to 450.

Table of Difficulty for Playing Fantasy FIFA World Cup Matches in Qatar 2022

Team	Match Opponent	Difficulty Level	Reason for Difficulty
Brazil	Serbia	Easy	Brazil’s strong attack vs Serbia’s weaker defense.
Argentina	Saudi Arabia	Easy	Argentina’s superior squad depth and form.
Germany	Japan	Medium	Japan’s disciplined style can challenge Germany’s high pressing.
France	Denmark	Hard	Denmark’s solid defense and recent strong performances against France.
England	USA	Medium	USA’s energetic midfield can disrupt England’s rhythm.
Portugal	Uruguay	Hard	Uruguay’s experienced defense and strong attacking duo.
Spain	Costa Rica	Easy	Spain’s possession-heavy style likely to dominate Costa Rica.
Netherlands	Senegal	Medium	Senegal’s physicality and pace can test the Dutch defense.
Belgium	Croatia	Hard	Croatia’s midfield dominance and Belgium’s aging defense pose challenges.
Mexico	Poland	Medium	Balanced matchup, with Lewandowski a key factor for Poland.

Based on these FIFA point differences, we made a table that shows how hard each team will be in the Group Stage. Here’s the color code for how the table of difficulties is set up:

The Chart

As you look at the table, you’ll notice that there are only three “green” matches: Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia, Belgium vs. Canada, and Brazil vs. Cameron. That means we should try to get as many players from Argentina, Belgium, and Brazil as we can for those games. On the other hand, we should usually avoid players with “red” or “black” matches. Orange and yellow are in between. The Netherlands, England, Argentina, France, Belgium, and Brazil are the teams that don’t have any red and black games. Our fantasy World Cup teams should be built around players from these teams.

Fantasy FIFA World Cup Match Difficulty Chart

As you look at the table, you’ll notice that there are only three “green” matches: Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia, Belgium vs. Canada, and Brazil vs. Cameroon. That means we should try to get as many players from Argentina, Belgium, and Brazil as we can for those games. On the other hand, we should usually avoid players with “red” or “black” matches. Orange and yellow are in between. The Netherlands, England, Argentina, France, Belgium, and Brazil are the teams that don’t have any red and black games. Our fantasy World Cup teams should be built around players from these teams.

Match	Difficulty Level
Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia	Green (Easy)
Belgium vs. Canada	Green (Easy)
Brazil vs. Cameroon	Green (Easy)
England vs. USA	Yellow (Medium)
Netherlands vs. Senegal	Yellow (Medium)
France vs. Denmark	Orange (Hard)
Portugal vs. Uruguay	Orange (Hard)
Germany vs. Spain	Red (Very Hard)
Morocco vs. Croatia	Red (Very Hard)
South Korea vs. Brazil	Black (Extremely Hard)

I hope this table helps you decide which players to pick and how to move them around. Visit www.nevermanagealone.com every day for World Cup news and fantasy tips that will help you win your mini-league. `

Do you agree with the tables on how hard things are? If you have a different set of rules, please tell us about them in the comments section.

Upcoming FIFA World Cup Host Countries

Year	Host Country (or Countries)	Notes
2026	United States, Canada, Mexico	First World Cup with 48 teams and multiple hosts since 2002.
2030	Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and South America (Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile)	Centennial edition showcasing multiple continents, commemorating the first World Cup in 1930.
2034	Saudi Arabia	Confirmed host, set to celebrate football development in the region.