The European path to Doha and World Cup finals glory in 2022 was determined by football's ruling body FIFA on Monday and nations such as holders France and top-ranked Belgium are feeling confident about their chances.
But with only the 10 group winners securing qualification to the finals in Qatar, even the strongest countries will be aware they have little margin for error - as Italy discovered when missing out on Russia 2018.
“Italy: it's easy but...” daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport headlined with La Nazionale put in Group C along with Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania.
“I believe it’ll be a battle between ourselves and Switzerland, who could have easily been among the top seeds,” the Azzurri coach Roberto Mancini said.
“They were one of the best teams in pot 2, although it’s good that they are nearby and it’ll be a short trip."
Qualifiers begin with a triple-header in March while in the hectic year affected by the coronavirus, Italy will also meet Switzerland in Rome at the delayed Euro 2020 in summer.
And Italy must also aim to peak in the Nations League finals they host in October when they welcome Spain, Belgium and France to Turin and Milan, before qualifying concludes in November.
Huuhkajat to meet with France
Holders France are in Group D with Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia, Kazakhstan.
"France are the favourites but we’ll need to do the business out on the pitch," said coach Didier Deschamps. "We’re the top seeds so obviously we're supposed to be the best team. Time will tell whether that is a help or a hindrance. The risk is thinking that you’re better than the rest of the group."
"This is a tough group, there is no denying it," Finland’s coach Markku Kanerva told the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle).
"I had been wishing for a 'group of hope', but this perhaps is closer to a 'group of death'," added the manager of the 'Eagle Owls' (in Finnish 'Huuhkajat'), as football fans call to the members of the Finnish national team.
Finland defeated world champions France for the first time in November in an impressive 2-0 win in an international friendly played in Paris.
Sweden vs Spain
Spain see Sweden as their big rivals in Group B and coach Luis Enrique was not thrilled for a repeat of their Euro 2020 qualifying ties: “We get Sweden again in the group and we are not too amused by it but then I suppose Sweden feel the same way."
“We met them in the European qualifiers and it was anything but easy but that’s no excuse, the team has to be ready to play a good qualification campaign to reach another World Cup finals.”
Diario AS concluded of the pool which also contains Greece and Kosovo: “The fact that Kosovo came out as the fifth team makes the group more difficult but in principle Spain is superior to all the other sides in the group.”
Germany coach Joachim Loew voiced confidence against Romania, Iceland, North Macedonia, Armenia and Liechtenstein in Group J but also sounded a note of caution.
"Iceland have made a name for themselves at major tournaments in recent years, and there’s always a good atmosphere wherever they play," he said.
"Romania have a very young team from what I know, with players who really stood out at the most recent European U-21 championships, where they faced Germany in the semi-final."
Previous holders Spain and Germany both learned the hard way about complacency as they exited their titles defences at the group stage of the finals in 2014 and 2018.
Belgium, England
World number one Belgium were given Czech Republic, Belarus and Estonia in Group E along with Wales, who knocked them out of Euro 2016.
"The match against Wales will be really fun to prepare for from an emotional point of view," said coach Roberto Martinez. "On the pitch though, that will be two really tough games."
And England will also look to continue their strong form when given Poland, yet again, in qualifying as they did ahead of the 1974, 1990, 1994, 2006 and 2014 World Cups.
"There is a great history with that fixture," said England manager Gareth Southgate. "There was a spell when we seemed to draw them all the time."
Group I also contains Hungary along with Albania, Andorra and San Marino.
