Bulgaria to face Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland and Lithuania in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers
The Bulgarian national team will face Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland and Lithuania in Group C of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Due to the unprecedented measures the qualifying draw was held behind closed doors in a television studio in Zürich, and former international superstars Daniele de Rossi and Rafael van der Vaart took the responsibility of allocating the various national sides in the ten groups.
All teams will play home and away between March and November 2021 and the ten group winners will automatically qualify for the final tournament in Qatar. The second-placed teams will face each other in play-offs where they will be joined by the two best UEFA Nations League group winners and the additional three European representatives will be determined in March 2022.
Based on specific criteria, including geographical and climate conditions, UEFA will finalise the match schedule in coordination with FIFA.