# 2022 FIFA World Cup Group F

Matches in Group F of the 2022 FIFA World Cup took place from 23 November to 1 December 2022. The group consisted of Belgium, Canada, Morocco and Croatia. The top two teams, Morocco and Croatia, advanced to the round of 16, and later played against each other again in the third-place play-off game, with Croatia winning 2–1. Morocco advanced to the knockout stage for the first time since 1986. By winning the group, they became the first African team to do so since Nigeria in 1998. Belgium failed to advance out of the group round for the first time, also since 1998.

## Teams

| Draw position | Team | Pot | Confederation | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Finals appearance | Last appearance | Previous best performance | FIFA Rankings | FIFA Rankings |
| Draw position | Team | Pot | Confederation | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Finals appearance | Last appearance | Previous best performance | March 2022 | October 2022 |
| F1 | Belgium | 1 | UEFA | UEFA Group E winners | 13 November 2021 | 14th | 2018 | Third place (2018) | 2 | 2 |
| F2 | Canada | 4 | CONCACAF | CONCACAF third round winners | 27 March 2022 | 2nd | 1986 | Group stage (1986) | 38 | 41 |
| F3 | Morocco | 3 | CAF | CAF third round winners | 29 March 2022 | 6th | 2018 | Round of 16 (1986) | 24 | 22 |
| F4 | Croatia | 2 | UEFA | UEFA Group H winners | 14 November 2021 | 6th | 2018 | Runners-up (2018) | 16 | 12 |
Notes
* ↑ The rankings of March 2022 were used for seeding for the final draw.

## Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Morocco | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 7 | Advanced to knockout stage |
| 2 | Croatia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 5 | Advanced to knockout stage |
| 3 | Belgium | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 4 | |
| 4 | Canada | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 0 | |
In the round of 16:
* The winners of Group F, Morocco, advanced to play the runners-up of Group E, Spain.
* The runners-up of Group F, Croatia, advanced to play the winners of Group E, Japan.

## Matches

All times listed are local, AST (UTC+3).

### Morocco vs Croatia

The teams had previously faced each other once, in a 1996 friendly match that ended in a 2–2 draw.
Although Croatia dominated possession, the match was one of few chances, and ended in a scoreless draw.
The two sides would go on to face off again in the third place match, making this the second straight World Cup where the third place match was contested by two teams drawn in the same group (after Belgium and England did so in 2018).
| Morocco | Croatia |
| GK | 1 | Yassine Bounou |
| RB | 2 | Achraf Hakimi |
| CB | 5 | Nayef Aguerd |
| CB | 6 | Romain Saïss (c) |
| LB | 3 | Noussair Mazraoui | | 60' |
| DM | 4 | Sofyan Amrabat | 78' |
| CM | 8 | Azzedine Ounahi | | 81' |
| CM | 15 | Selim Amallah |
| RF | 7 | Hakim Ziyech |
| CF | 19 | Youssef En-Nesyri | | 81' |
| LF | 17 | Sofiane Boufal | | 65' |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 25 | Yahia Attiyat Allah | | 60' |
| FW | 16 | Abde Ezzalzouli | | 65' |
| FW | 9 | Abderrazak Hamdallah | | 81' |
| FW | 11 | Abdelhamid Sabiri | | 81' |
| Manager: ||
| Walid Regragui ||
| GK | 1 | Dominik Livaković |
| RB | 22 | Josip Juranović |
| CB | 6 | Dejan Lovren |
| CB | 20 | Joško Gvardiol |
| LB | 19 | Borna Sosa |
| DM | 11 | Marcelo Brozović |
| CM | 10 | Luka Modrić (c) |
| CM | 8 | Mateo Kovačić | 79' |
| RF | 13 | Nikola Vlašić | 46' |
| CF | 9 | Andrej Kramarić | 71' |
| LF | 4 | Ivan Perišić | 90' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 15 | Mario Pašalić | 46' |
| FW | 14 | Marko Livaja | 71' |
| MF | 7 | Lovro Majer | 79' |
| FW | 18 | Mislav Oršić | 90' |
| Manager: ||
| Zlatko Dalić ||
* Man of the Match:
* Luka Modrić (Croatia)
* Assistant referees:
* Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina)
* Diego Bonfá (Argentina)
* Fourth official:
* Kevin Ortega (Peru)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Karen Díaz Medina (Mexico)
* Video assistant referee:
* Julio Bascuñán (Chile)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Leodán González (Uruguay)
* Nicolás Taran (Uruguay)
* Paolo Valeri (Italy)
* Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
* Martín Soppi (Uruguay)

### Belgium vs Canada

The teams had faced each other once prior, a 1989 friendly won 2–0 by Belgium. This match made Canada's head coach, Englishman John Herdman, the first manager to coach a team at both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup.
Despite dominating much of proceedings and having 19 attempts on goal, including an early penalty kick taken by Alphonso Davies that was saved by Thibaut Courtois, Canada could not find a way to score, and the sole goal of the match came near the end of the first half from Belgium's Michy Batshuayi, when he converted following a long-range pass upfield from defender Toby Alderweireld.
| Belgium | Canada |
| GK | 1 | Thibaut Courtois |
| CB | 19 | Leander Dendoncker |
| CB | 2 | Toby Alderweireld |
| CB | 5 | Jan Vertonghen |
| RM | 21 | Timothy Castagne |
| CM | 8 | Youri Tielemans | | 46' |
| CM | 6 | Axel Witsel |
| LM | 11 | Yannick Carrasco | 9' | 46' |
| AM | 7 | Kevin De Bruyne |
| AM | 10 | Eden Hazard (c) | | 62' |
| CF | 23 | Michy Batshuayi | | 78' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 18 | Amadou Onana | 56' | 46' |
| MF | 15 | Thomas Meunier | 54' | 46' |
| FW | 17 | Leandro Trossard | | 62' |
| FW | 24 | Loïs Openda | | 78' |
| Manager: ||
| Roberto Martínez ||
| GK | 18 | Milan Borjan |
| CB | 2 | Alistair Johnston | 83' |
| CB | 5 | Steven Vitória |
| CB | 4 | Kamal Miller |
| RM | 22 | Richie Laryea | | 74' |
| CM | 13 | Atiba Hutchinson (c) | | 58' |
| CM | 7 | Stephen Eustáquio | | 81' |
| LM | 19 | Alphonso Davies | 81' |
| AM | 11 | Tajon Buchanan | | 81' |
| AM | 10 | Junior Hoilett | | 58' |
| CF | 20 | Jonathan David |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 17 | Cyle Larin | | 58' |
| MF | 15 | Ismaël Koné | | 58' |
| DF | 3 | Sam Adekugbe | | 74' |
| MF | 23 | Liam Millar | | 81' |
| MF | 21 | Jonathan Osorio | | 81' |
| Manager: ||
| John Herdman ||
* Man of the Match:
* Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
* Assistant referees:
* Jerson dos Santos (Angola)
* Arsénio Marrengula (Mozambique)
* Fourth official:
* Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Neuza Back (Brazil)
* Video assistant referee:
* Juan Soto (Venezuela)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Nicolás Gallo (Colombia)
* Mokrane Gourari (Algeria)
* Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)
* Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
* Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria)

### Belgium vs Morocco

The teams had met in three previous matches, including Belgium's 1–0 group stage victory at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Romain Saïss put Morocco in front in the 73rd minute, when he glanced the ball in at close range after a free kick whipped in from the left by Abdelhamid Sabiri deceived Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at the near post. Zakaria Aboukhlal made it 2–0 in added time when he finished high into the right corner of the net after a cut-back from Hakim Ziyech on the right.
The match was only Morocco's third victory in World Cup history. The result sparked riots back in Belgium (home to a large ethnic Moroccan community), with resident fires and fireworks being set off.
| Belgium | Morocco |
| GK | 1 | Thibaut Courtois |
| RB | 15 | Thomas Meunier | | 81' |
| CB | 2 | Toby Alderweireld |
| CB | 5 | Jan Vertonghen |
| LB | 21 | Timothy Castagne |
| CM | 18 | Amadou Onana | 29' | 60' |
| CM | 6 | Axel Witsel |
| RW | 7 | Kevin De Bruyne |
| AM | 10 | Eden Hazard (c) | | 60' |
| LW | 16 | Thorgan Hazard | | 75' |
| CF | 23 | Michy Batshuayi | | 75' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 8 | Youri Tielemans | | 60' |
| FW | 14 | Dries Mertens | | 60' |
| FW | 22 | Charles De Ketelaere | | 75' |
| FW | 17 | Leandro Trossard | | 75' |
| FW | 9 | Romelu Lukaku | | 81' |
| Manager: ||
| Roberto Martínez ||
| GK | 12 | Munir Mohamedi |
| RB | 2 | Achraf Hakimi | | 68' |
| CB | 5 | Nayef Aguerd |
| CB | 6 | Romain Saïss (c) |
| LB | 3 | Noussair Mazraoui |
| DM | 4 | Sofyan Amrabat |
| CM | 8 | Azzedine Ounahi | | 78' |
| CM | 15 | Selim Amallah | | 68' |
| RF | 7 | Hakim Ziyech |
| CF | 19 | Youssef En-Nesyri | | 73' |
| LF | 17 | Sofiane Boufal | | 73' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 11 | Abdelhamid Sabiri | 90+5' | 68' |
| DF | 25 | Yahia Attiyat Allah | | 68' |
| MF | 14 | Zakaria Aboukhlal | | 73' |
| FW | 9 | Abderrazak Hamdallah | | 73' |
| DF | 18 | Jawad El Yamiq | | 78' |
| Manager: ||
| Walid Regragui ||
* Man of the Match:
* Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
* Assistant referees:
* Alberto Morín (Mexico)
* Miguel Hernández (Mexico)
* Fourth official:
* Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Neuza Back (Brazil)
* Video assistant referee:
* Fernando Guerrero (Mexico)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Nicolás Gallo (Colombia)
* Kathryn Nesbitt (United States)
* Armando Villarreal (United States)
* Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
* Kyle Atkins (United States)

### Croatia vs Canada

The teams had never met before.
Alphonso Davies scored Canada's first-ever World Cup goal in the second minute, with his header off a cross from Tajon Buchanan on the right giving Canada the lead. His effort was the fastest goal in the tournament at 68 seconds. Andrej Kramarić and Marko Livaja would strike back before half-time for Croatia to put them into 2–1 lead. Kramarić would score again in the second period before Lovro Majer took advantage of a miscontrolled ball by Kamal Miller in the dying moments of the match to complete a 4–1 Croatian victory that sealed Canada's elimination from the tournament. It was also Canada's largest ever defeat in a World Cup match.
The match was marred by xenophobic anti-Serb chants made by a group Croatian fans against Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan, an ethnic Croatian Serb who fled Croatia during the Croatian War of Independence, along with their display of a modified John Deere banner making a reference to Operation Storm, a military operation that ended the war and abolished the separatist proto-state Republic of Serbian Krajina, which resulted in a mass exodus and war crimes against number of Krajina's Serb civilians.
| Croatia | Canada |
| GK | 1 | Dominik Livaković |
| RB | 22 | Josip Juranović |
| CB | 6 | Dejan Lovren | 56' |
| CB | 20 | Joško Gvardiol |
| LB | 19 | Borna Sosa |
| DM | 11 | Marcelo Brozović |
| CM | 10 | Luka Modrić (c) | 85' | 86' |
| CM | 8 | Mateo Kovačić | | 86' |
| RF | 14 | Marko Livaja | | 60' |
| CF | 9 | Andrej Kramarić | | 72' |
| LF | 4 | Ivan Perišić | | 86' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 16 | Bruno Petković | | 60' |
| MF | 13 | Nikola Vlašić | | 72' |
| FW | 18 | Mislav Oršić | | 86' |
| MF | 7 | Lovro Majer | | 86' |
| MF | 15 | Mario Pašalić | | 86' |
| Manager: ||
| Zlatko Dalić ||
| GK | 18 | Milan Borjan |
| CB | 2 | Alistair Johnston |
| CB | 5 | Steven Vitória |
| CB | 4 | Kamal Miller | 85' |
| RM | 22 | Richie Laryea | | 62' |
| CM | 13 | Atiba Hutchinson (c) | | 72' |
| CM | 7 | Stephen Eustáquio | | 46' |
| LM | 19 | Alphonso Davies |
| RF | 11 | Tajon Buchanan | 52' |
| CF | 17 | Cyle Larin | | 46' |
| LF | 20 | Jonathan David | | 72' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 21 | Jonathan Osorio | | 46' |
| MF | 15 | Ismaël Koné | | 46' |
| MF | 10 | Junior Hoilett | | 62' |
| FW | 9 | Lucas Cavallini | | 72' |
| DF | 3 | Sam Adekugbe | | 72' |
| Manager: ||
| John Herdman ||
* Man of the Match:
* Andrej Kramarić (Croatia)
* Assistant referees:
* Nicolás Taran (Uruguay)
* Martín Soppi (Uruguay)
* Fourth official:
* Kevin Ortega (Peru)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Jesús Sánchez (Peru)
* Video assistant referee:
* Mauro Vigliano (Argentina)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Leodán González (Uruguay)
* Gabriel Chade (Argentina)
* Julio Bascuñán (Chile)
* Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
* Diego Bonfá (Argentina)

### Croatia vs Belgium

The teams had previously faced each other eight times, most recently in 2021, a 1–0 win for Belgium in a friendly.
The first half finished goalless, with the most noticeable incident coming when Croatia was awarded a penalty following a foul by Yannick Carrasco on Andrej Kramarić, before being cancelled due to the VAR deeming Dejan Lovren marginally offside in the buildup to the call. Belgium, needing a victory to avoid elimination unless Canada defeated Morocco by four goals in the concurrent match played, would bring on record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku for the second period, marking his return to action following a spell out due to injury. Lukaku missed several notable chances to score, including a strike that hit the inside of the post, as Belgium was unable to capitalize on their opportunities and succumbed to a 0–0 draw, eliminating them after Morocco defeated Canada 2–1.
| Croatia | Belgium |
| GK | 1 | Dominik Livaković |
| RB | 22 | Josip Juranović |
| CB | 6 | Dejan Lovren |
| CB | 20 | Joško Gvardiol |
| LB | 19 | Borna Sosa |
| DM | 11 | Marcelo Brozović |
| CM | 10 | Luka Modrić (c) |
| CM | 8 | Mateo Kovačić | 90+2' |
| RF | 9 | Andrej Kramarić | 64' |
| CF | 14 | Marko Livaja | 64' |
| LF | 4 | Ivan Perišić |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 16 | Bruno Petković | 64' |
| MF | 15 | Mario Pašalić | 64' |
| MF | 7 | Lovro Majer | 90+2' |
| Manager: ||
| Zlatko Dalić ||
| GK | 1 | Thibaut Courtois |
| RB | 15 | Thomas Meunier | | 87' |
| CB | 2 | Toby Alderweireld |
| CB | 5 | Jan Vertonghen |
| LB | 21 | Timothy Castagne |
| CM | 19 | Leander Dendoncker | 67' | 72' |
| CM | 6 | Axel Witsel |
| RW | 7 | Kevin De Bruyne (c) |
| AM | 14 | Dries Mertens | | 46' |
| LW | 11 | Yannick Carrasco | | 72' |
| CF | 17 | Leandro Trossard | | 59' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 9 | Romelu Lukaku | | 46' |
| MF | 16 | Thorgan Hazard | | 59' |
| FW | 25 | Jérémy Doku | | 72' |
| MF | 8 | Youri Tielemans | | 72' |
| FW | 10 | Eden Hazard | | 87' |
| Manager: ||
| Roberto Martínez ||
* Man of the Match:
* Luka Modrić (Croatia)
* Assistant referees:
* Gary Beswick (England)
* Adam Nunn (England)
* Fourth official:
* István Kovács (Romania)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Mihai Artene (Romania)
* Video assistant referee:
* Marco Fritz (Germany)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Tomasz Kwiatkowski (Poland)
* Rafael Foltyn (Germany)
* Benoit Millot (France)
* Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
* Jan Seidel (Germany)

### Canada vs Morocco

The teams had previously faced each other three times, most recently in 2016, a friendly won 4–0 by Morocco.
Morocco took an early lead through Hakim Ziyech after a misplaced pass by Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan allowed him to score with a chip over the goalkeeper from outside the penalty area. They doubled their advantage in the 23rd minute with a goal from Youssef En-Nesyri when he ran on to a pass to score with a low finish to the right corner of the net from the right. In the final few minutes of the first half, Canada pulled a goal back when Nayef Aguerd diverted a low cross in from Sam Adekugbe on the left into his own net, marking the first own goal of the tournament as well as the first conceded by Morocco. Although Canada captain Atiba Hutchinson's header from a corner would strike the bar and the goal line in the second half, Morocco held on to win the match 2–1.
Morocco thus finished top of Group F with seven points, reaching the knockout stage for a second time and a first since 1986. Canada, meanwhile, joined hosts Qatar as the only teams to exit the tournament without a single point, and remained winless in their World Cup history, adding on to the three defeats they suffered in 1986.
| Canada | Morocco |
| GK | 18 | Milan Borjan (c) |
| RB | 2 | Alistair Johnston |
| CB | 5 | Steven Vitória | 84' |
| CB | 4 | Kamal Miller |
| LB | 3 | Sam Adekugbe | 45+2' | 60' |
| RM | 19 | Alphonso Davies |
| CM | 21 | Jonathan Osorio | 26' | 65' |
| CM | 14 | Mark-Anthony Kaye | | 60' |
| LM | 11 | Tajon Buchanan |
| SS | 10 | Junior Hoilett | 7' | 76' |
| CF | 17 | Cyle Larin | | 60' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 20 | Jonathan David | | 60' |
| MF | 13 | Atiba Hutchinson | | 60' |
| MF | 15 | Ismaël Koné | | 60' |
| DF | 22 | Richie Laryea | | 65' |
| MF | 24 | David Wotherspoon | | 76' |
| Manager: ||
| John Herdman ||
| GK | 1 | Yassine Bounou |
| RB | 2 | Achraf Hakimi | 85' |
| CB | 5 | Nayef Aguerd |
| CB | 6 | Romain Saïss (c) |
| LB | 3 | Noussair Mazraoui |
| DM | 4 | Sofyan Amrabat |
| CM | 8 | Azzedine Ounahi | 76' |
| CM | 11 | Abdelhamid Sabiri | 65' |
| RF | 7 | Hakim Ziyech | 76' |
| CF | 19 | Youssef En-Nesyri |
| LF | 17 | Sofiane Boufal | 65' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 14 | Zakaria Aboukhlal | 65' |
| MF | 15 | Selim Amallah | 65' |
| FW | 9 | Abderrazak Hamdallah | 76' |
| DF | 18 | Jawad El Yamiq | 76' |
| MF | 26 | Yahya Jabrane | 85' |
| Manager: ||
| Walid Regragui ||
* Man of the Match:
* Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
* Assistant referees:
* Rodrigo Figueiredo (Brazil)
* Danilo Simon Manis (Brazil)
* Fourth official:
* Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Michael Orué (Peru)
* Video assistant referee:
* Julio Bascuñán (Chile)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Juan Martínez Munuera (Spain)
* Roberto Díaz Pérez del Palomar (Spain)
* Leodan Gonzalez (Uruguay)
* Stand-by assistant video assistant referee:
* Pau Cebrián Devís (Spain)

## Discipline

Fair play points would have been used as tiebreakers if teams' overall and head-to-head records were tied. These were calculated based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:
* first yellow card: −1 point;
* indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
* direct red card: −4 points;
* yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;
Only one of the above deductions was applied to a player in a single match.
| Team | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 | Points |
| Croatia | | 2 | | −2 |
| Morocco | 1 | 1 | | −2 |
| Belgium | 3 | 1 | 1 | −5 |
| Canada | 2 | 2 | 4 | −8 |