
<p><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/news/fox-world-cup-commentators-for-qatar-2022-20221017-WST-404697.html">FOX Sports soccer analyst</a> Stu Holden claims that <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/nations/wales-national-team-tv-schedule/">Wales </a>are the weakest team in <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/04/analysis-of-world-cup-groups/">Group B</a> of the upcoming <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/">World Cup</a>. The <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/nations/usmnt-tv-schedule/">United States men’s national team</a> feature in the group alongside Wales, <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/nations/england-national-team-tv-schedule/">England</a>, and <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/nations/iran-national-team-tv-schedule-20221020-WST-400139.html">Iran</a>.</p>



<p>Speaking on The Athletic <a href="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0pAZgKAh7k&amp;t=899s" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">podcast</a> ‘COPA with Felipe Cardenas,’ Holden said that he hasn’t been too impressed with Wales. “Wales have looked OK in those games. But I covered a couple of them,” Holden said. “I wouldn’t say they looked great.”</p>



<p>“And, it’s not a team that I watched and was like ‘Oh man. This is going to be a hard game for the US.’ It’s not a knockout, 100% win. But, it’s a game that I think we should go in a and expect to win. I think Wales are still the weakest team in the group when you think about it.” </p>



<h2>Stu Holden deems Wales the weakest of Group B</h2>



<p>The former USMNT midfielder also emphasized the importance of the <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/">opening match of the World Cup</a>. The US plays Wales in their first group stage game of the tournament. “That game, I think, decides US’s fate,” Holden said. </p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Gareth Bale inspires Wales to World Cup qualification with win vs. spirited Ukraine | Highlights" width="500" height="281" src="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/embed/XxfR-LtiiKM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p>“First game in the World Cup, historically, will tell you if you lose that game, your chances of advancing are, you know it’s night and day. I think it goes from like 80% down to like 10-15%.” </p>



<p>“So it shows you how important that first game will be to get even just a point, if not a win out of that against Wales. And if you win that, I think your chances of getting through [the group stage] are huge.”</p>



<p>Wales are currently 19th in the <a href="https:\/\/www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id13792" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIFA world rankings</a> at the moment. This is just one spot better than Iran. England and the USMNT, the two favorites to qualify for the knockout phase, are ranked fifth and 16th respectively.</p>



<p>The USMNT and Wales begin their World Cup runs on November 21st at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.</p>


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FOX's lead co-commentator, Stu Holden, deems Wales, not Iran or even the the United States, as the weakest team in Group B.

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Stuart Holden

FOX's Stu Holden says Wales are weakest team in Group B