Could all four home nations successfully qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?

Much of the football world is fixated on Euro 2020 for the time being, though there’s little rest for the wicked as attention will soon turn back to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

In what’s set to be the first winter edition of the biggest tournament in sports, Qatar will host next year’s World Cup from November 21 until December 18, which will also make it the shortest edition since 32 teams started competing in 1998.

Only once have all four home nations—England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland—successfully qualified for the same World Cup finals, and it was also more than half a century ago.

That’s because 1958 also happens to be Wales’ only previous appearance at a World Cup. Northern Ireland have qualified for three, Scotland have made eight appearances, and England clearly lead the way with 15 previous attempts at World Cup glory.

As far-fetched as it might seem given a gap of 63 years since it last occurred, it’s still plausible that the neighbours will all succeed in reaching Qatar in 18 months’ time.

The Daily Brit recently revealed an 888 Sport survey found only four per cent of Welsh fans didn’t believe they’d make it out of the group stage at Euro 2020. As it goes, that faith now appears well-placed after a 2-0 victory over Turkey put Rob Page’s side on the brink of a spot in the knockout rounds, per the BBC.

Wales are still competitive in a tricky qualifying pool, too, which also comprises Euro 2020 favourites Belgium—who currently lead the way and are three points clear—and the Czech Republic.

Not only are Wales just a point behind the Czechs in third as things stand, but they’ve also got a game in hand over their nearby rivals, whom they beat 1-0 at home earlier in the campaign.

Scotland’s chances also look positive despite the fact they’re 1000/1 title outsiders in 2022 World Cup betting. Steve Clarke’s men occupy second in Group F and are one of only two teams in their pool yet to taste defeat after three games, the other being leaders Denmark, who are five points in front of the competition.

The first-place finishers from each group will automatically qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar, while the runners-up in every pool advance to a second round (also known as the UEFA play-offs). Of all the home nations, England look most likely to not be concerned with battling for second, having won all three of their qualifiers thus far and targeting their seventh straight appearance at the World Cup finals.

Northern Ireland haven’t appeared at a World Cup since 1986, meanwhile, and they strike as the riskiest bet in terms of qualifying, with your money perhaps better spent with free bets bonuses offered for World Cup 2022 betting by British bookmakers than on Ian Baraclough’s men advancing.

One of only three teams in UEFA qualifying yet to score a single goal, Northern Ireland are already five points off the qualifying pace, and it would take a revival of epic proportions to see them move past Italy or Switzerland at this stage.

Home Nations’ WC2022 Outright Odds