The Bear Witness Staff Predicts the World Cup

Four of our staff members predict the results of all eight groups and the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.  

Numbers in parentheses next to teams indicate their positions in the most recent edition of the FIFA World Rankings.  

Group Stage 

Group A: Qatar (50), Ecuador (44), Senegal (18), Netherlands (8) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. Senegal 2. Netherlands 3. Ecuador 4. Qatar 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. Netherlands 2. Senegal 3. Ecuador 4. Qatar 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. Netherlands 2. Qatar 3. Ecuador 4. Senegal 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. Netherlands 2. Senegal 3. Ecuador 4. Qatar 

Why Megan believes that the hosts can advance: Qatar will have the fans behind them and familiarity among their roster. Ecuador’s inexperience will prove costly, and Senegal must deal with Sadio Mane’s injury and a few defenders that are out of form. The Dutch are peaking and should advance with relative ease, but Qatar is good enough to claim second.  

Group B: England (5), Iran (20), United States (16), Wales (19) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. England 2. USA 3. Iran 4. Wales 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. England 2. USA 3. Wales 4. Iran 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. England 2. USA 3. Wales 4. Iran 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. England 2. USA 3. Iran 4. Wales 

Why Jake is confident in the USA’s chances: USA, baby. Soccer in this country is back from the dead and we need to make a statement. Our guys will show up and play their hearts out. Wales and Iran aren’t pushovers, but they’re being massively overrated, and the US is much deeper when fully healthy, which is something we weren’t during those poor friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia. 

Group C: Argentina (3), Saudi Arabia (51), Mexico (13), Poland (26) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. Argentina 2. Poland 3. Mexico 4. Saudi Arabia 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. Poland 2. Argentina 3. Mexico 4. Saudi Arabia 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. Argentina 2. Poland 3. Mexico 4. Saudi Arabia 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. Argentina 2. Mexico 3. Poland 4. Saudi Arabia 

Why Maria has Mexico continuing their knockout round streak: I won’t doubt a team that has made the Round of 16 seven consecutive times. Poland is a one-man show that always disappoints when it matters. I’m not picking them over a far more established team, even if Mexico isn’t the continental power they once were.  

Group D: France (4), Australia (38), Denmark (10), Tunisia (30) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. Denmark 2. France 3. Tunisia 4. Australia 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. Denmark 2. Tunisia 3. France 4. Australia 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. France 2. Denmark 3. Australia 4. Tunisia 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. France 2. Denmark 3. Australia 4. Tunisia 

Why Jake thinks France is in trouble: Injuries will be too much for France to overcome a Denmark team that beat them twice in the Nations League. Even if Tunisia doesn’t necessarily beat them, France’s habit of lethargic starts to tournaments catches up here and the North Africans beat them on goal difference.  

Group E: Spain (7), Costa Rica (31), Germany (11), Japan (24) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. Spain 2. Germany 3. Japan 4. Costa Rica 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. Germany 2. Spain 3. Japan 4. Costa Rica 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. Germany 2. Spain 3. Costa Rica 4. Japan 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. Germany 2. Spain 3. Japan 4. Costa Rica 

Why Megan believes Germany can upset Spain: Germany has veterans with experience at key positions that Spain does not, and manager Hansi Flick had his men playing much better in the Nations League than in the Euro. Spain has a young team, and although they keep possession well, they don’t generate enough chances to keep up with the Germans.  

Group F: Belgium (2), Canada (41), Morocco (22), Croatia (12) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. Belgium 2. Morocco 3. Croatia 4. Canada 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. Belgium 2. Croatia 3. Morocco 4. Canada 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. Belgium 2. Croatia 3. Canada 4. Morocco 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. Belgium 2. Croatia 3. Canada 4. Morocco 

Why Zach doesn’t trust the big names in the group: Belgium and Croatia’s golden generations are coming to an end, but I trust Belgium more because they’ve got the edge in both star power and depth. Morocco’s team is complete and playing much better under their new coach, and that’ll be enough to beat out a Croatia side whose veterans lack support.  

Group G: Brazil (1), Serbia (21), Switzerland (15), Cameroon (43) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. Brazil 2. Switzerland 3. Serbia 4. Cameroon 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. Brazil 2. Switzerland 3. Cameroon 4. Serbia 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. Brazil 2. Switzerland 3. Serbia 4. Cameroon 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. Brazil 2. Switzerland 3. Serbia 4. Cameroon 

Why Maria is betting on Switzerland to get through: After their stunning comeback against France in the Euros, people finally took notice of just how deep and underrated this Swiss side is. Those picking Serbia don’t realize that their strength in attack is their only strength, whereas Switzerland is complete on both sides of the ball.  

Group H: Portugal (9), Ghana (61), Uruguay (14), South Korea (28) 

Zach’s Prediction: 1. Portugal 2. South Korea 3. Uruguay 4. Ghana 

Jake’s Prediction: 1. Portugal 2. Uruguay 3. South Korea 4. Ghana 

Megan’s Prediction: 1. Portugal 2. Uruguay 3. South Korea 4. Ghana 

Maria’s Prediction: 1. Uruguay 2. Portugal 3. South Korea 4. Ghana 

Why Zach has faith in South Korea: I really don’t, but there is always one underdog who surprises. Uruguay looked overwhelmed too often in qualifying behind their aging tandem up front and I don’t trust their new coach, at least not yet. Son Heung-min is prepared to put his team on his back and get them through.  

Knockout Stage 

Round of 16 

Zach’s Prediction: Senegal over USA; Argentina over France; England over Netherlands; Denmark over Poland; Spain over Morocco; Brazil over South Korea; Germany over Belgium; Portugal over Switzerland 

Jake’s Prediction: Netherlands over USA; Tunisia over Poland; Senegal over England; Denmark over Argentina; Germany over Croatia; Brazil over Uruguay; Belgium over Spain; Portugal over Switzerland 

Megan’s Prediction: USA over Netherlands; Argentina over Denmark; England over Qatar; France over Poland; Germany over Croatia; Brazil over Uruguay; Belgium over Spain; Portugal over Switzerland 

Maria’s Prediction: Netherlands over USA; Argentina over Denmark; England over Senegal; France over Mexico; Germany over Croatia; Brazil over Portugal; Belgium over Spain; Switzerland over Uruguay 

Quarterfinals 

Zach’s Prediction: Argentina over Senegal; Brazil over Spain; England over Denmark; Portugal over Germany 

Jake’s Prediction: Netherlands over Tunisia; Brazil over Germany; Denmark over Senegal; Portugal over Belgium 

Megan’s Prediction: Argentina over USA; Germany over Brazil; England over France; Portugal over Belgium 

Maria’s Prediction: Argentina over Netherlands; Brazil over Germany; France over England; Belgium over Switzerland 

Semifinals 

Zach’s Prediction: Argentina over Brazil; England over Portugal 

Jake’s Prediction: Netherlands over Brazil; Portugal over Denmark 

Megan’s Prediction: Germany over Argentina; England over Portugal 

Maria’s Prediction: Brazil over Argentina; France over Belgium 

Third Place Match 

Zach’s Prediction: Brazil over Portugal 

Jake’s Prediction: Brazil over Denmark 

Megan’s Prediction: Argentina over Portugal 

Maria’s Prediction: Argentina over Belgium 

Final 

Zach’s Prediction: Argentina over England 

Jake’s Prediction: Netherlands over Portugal 

Megan’s Prediction: England over Germany  

Maria’s Prediction: Brazil over France