All you need to know about FIFA World Cup 2022

A complete overview of the things you need to know about FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, occurring in November and December this year.

What will happen to FIFA 2022?

FIFA World Cup 2022 is scheduled to take place in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, later this year. A total of 32 teams will fight for the wonderful and beautiful trophy in the Football World Cup.

Fixtures and Groups

A total of 64 matches will be played in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 on 8 different grounds. The total of 32 teams is divided into 8 different groups and each group contains 4 teams. FIFA World Cup 2022 will kick off with Senegal and the Netherlands opening match at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.

The full list of 8 groups, venues and timings (PKT) of FIFA World Cup 2022 is below here:

FIFA World Cup 2022 Groups

Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, the Netherlands

Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales

Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia.

Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan

Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

Group Stage Matches:

• November 21: Senegal vs the Netherlands, 3:00 PM, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• November 21: England vs Iran, 6:00 PM, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 21: Qatar vs Ecuador, 9:00 PM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Kohr.
• November 22: USA vs Wales, 12:00 AM, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 22: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia, 3:00 PM, Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• November 22: Denmark vs Tunisia, 6:00 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 22: Mexico vs Poland, 9:00 PM, Stadium 974, Doha.
• November 23: France vs Australia, 12:00 AM, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah.
• November 23: Morocco vs Croatia, 3:00 PM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Kohr.
• November 23: Germany vs Japan, 6:00 PM, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 23: Spain vs Costa Rica, 9:00 PM, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• November 24: Belgium vs Canada, 12:00 AM, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 24: Switzerland vs Cameroon, 3:00 PM, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah.
• November 24: Uruguay vs South Korea, 6:00 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 24: Portugal vs Ghana, 9:00 PM, Stadium 974, Doha.
• November 25: Brazil vs Serbia, 12:00 AM, Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• November 25: Wales vs Iran, 3:00 PM, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 25: Qatar vs Senegal, 6:00 PM, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• November 25: Netherlands vs Ecuador, 9:00 PM, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 26: England vs USA, 12:00 AM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Kohr.
• November 26: Tunisia vs Australia, 3:00 PM, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah.
• November 26: Poland vs Saudi Arabia, 6:00 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 26: France vs Denmark, 9:00 PM, Stadium 974, Doha.
• November 27: Argentina vs Mexico, 12:00 AM, Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• November 27: Japan vs Costa Rica, 3:00 PM, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 27: Belgium vs Morocco, 6:00 PM, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• November 27: Croatia vs Canada, 9:00 PM, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 28: Spain vs Germany, 12:00 AM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Kohr.
• November 28: Cameroon vs Serbia, 3:00 PM, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah.
• November 28: South Korea vs Ghana, 6:00 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 28: Brazil vs Switzerland, 9:00 PM, Stadium 974, Doha.
• November 29: Portugal vs Uruguay, 12:00 AM, Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• November 29: Netherlands vs Qatar, 8:00 PM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Kohr.
• November 29: Ecuador vs Senegal, 8:00 PM, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 30: Wales vs England, 12:00 AM, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 30: Iran vs USA, 12:00 AM, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• November 30: Tunisia vs France, 8:00 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• November 30: Australia vs Denmark, 8:00 PM, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah.
• December 1: Poland vs Argentina, 12:00 AM, Stadium 974, Doha.
• December 1: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico, 12:00 AM, Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• December 1: Croatia vs Belgium, 8:00 PM, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 1: Canada vs Morocco, 8:00 PM, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• December 2: Japan vs Spain, 12:00 AM, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 2: Costa Rica vs Germany, 12:00 AM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Kohr.
• December 2: South Korea vs Portugal, 8:00 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 2: Ghana vs Uruguay, 8:00 PM, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah.
• December 3: Cameroon vs Brazil, 12:00 AM, Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• December 3: Serbia vs Switzerland, 12:00 AM, Stadium 974, Doha.

FIFA World Cup 2022 Knockout fixtures:

• December 3: 8:00 PM, Round of 16 – 1: Winners Group A vs Runners-up Group; B Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 3: 10:00 PM, Round of 16 – 2: Winners Group C vs Runners-up Group; D Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 4: 8:00 PM, Round of 16 – 3: Winners Group D vs Runners-up Group C; Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• December 4: 10:00 PM, Round of 16 – 4: Winners Group B vs Runners-up Group A; Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor.
• December 5: 8:00 PM, Round of 16 – 5: Winners Group E vs Runners-up Group F; Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah.
• December 5: 10:00 PM, Round of 16 – 6: Winners Group G vs Runners-up Group H; Stadium 974, Doha.
• December 6: 8:00 PM, Round of 16 – 7: Winners Group F vs Runners-up Group E; Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 6: 10:00 PM, Round of 16 – 8: Winners Group H vs Runners-up Group G; Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• December 9: 8:00 PM, Quarter-final 1: Winners Round of 16 – 5 vs Winners Round of 16 – 6; Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 9: 10:00 PM, Quarter-final 2: Winners Round of 16 – 1 vs Winners of Round of 16 -2; Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• December 10: 8:00 PM, Quarter-final 3: Winners Round of 16 – 7 vs Winners Round of 16 – 8; Al Thumama Stadium, Doha.
• December 10: 10:00 PM, Quarter-final 4: Winners Round of 16 – 3 vs Winners Round of 16 – 4; Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor.
• December 13: 10:00 PM, Semi-final 1: Winners Quarterfinal 2 vs Winners Quarterfinal 1; Lusail Stadium, Lusail.
• December 14: 10:00 PM, Semi-final 2: Winners Quarterfinal 4 vs Winners Quarterfinal 3; Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor.
• December 14: 8:00 PM, Third place play-off: Losers Semifinal 1 vs Losers Semi-final 2; Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.
• December 18: 8:00 PM, Final: Winners Semi-final 1 vs Winners Semi-final 2; Lusail Stadium, Lusail.

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Format of FIFA World Cup 2022

Regardless of the shortened time span, the format remains the same as before, eight groups of four teams with the top two teams in each group is proceeds to the knockout stage.

FIFA World Cup 2022 Venues

The wonderful tournament of football will be played at 8 different venues. Notably, the opening game will be played at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha while the final match will be played at Lusail Stadium in Lusail. The full list of 8 Venues, the number of matches they will host, and the capacity of the stadiums for FIFA World Cup 2022 are below here:

Watch Out Teams in FIFA World Cup 2022

It is pertinent to mention here that 32 nations will participate in this wonderful tournament but some of the teams will be watching out due to some famous teams and outstanding players. The Teams who will be watched out in FIFA World Cup 2022 are Brazil (Neymar), Germany, Portugal (Cristiano Ronaldo), Argentina (Lionel Messi), and France.

Why does FIFA World Cup 2022 take place in Winter?

The FIFA World Cup 2022 takes place in winter rather than the usual summer due to the heat in this country. Earlier, this tournament takes palace in June/July slot. Now this tournament takes place in winter so the average temperature expected during the competition is around 15^o C to 24o 24C, which will provide better conditions for the players and the fans.

Interesting facts about FIFA World Cup 2022

• FIFA World Cup 2022 is to be the last World Cup in which 32 teams will participate after that FIFA is expanding the tournament and taking in 48 teams for the 2026 edition, which will help in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
• It is the only second time in the history of this magnificent tournament that the World Cup will be hosted in Asia and the first time in the Middle East. The last time FIFA World Cup is hosted in Asia was in South Korea and Japan in 2002.
• The Host Nation Qatar is the only team making its debut appearance in this tournament.
• Canada will get back to the competition after qualifying for the second time ever in the history of this tournament, and for the first time in 36 years.
• This is the first time in the history of this tournament that the FIFA World Cup will be played in winter.
• This edition will be the most expensive FIFA World Cup in its history after Qatar reportedly spent around $200 billion on infrastructure.
• Qatar will have the least number of stadiums used for a World Cup since 1978 when Argentina had 6. From that point, host countries have had between 10 and 12 stadiums.

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