From information on the stadiums to the teams and how much the champion will get, here are all the necessary details ahead of the 22nd World Cup.
After tournament victories by Uruguay, Italy, Germany, Brazil, England, Argentina, France, and Spain, 32 teams including seven of these past eight champions will look to etch their names in history as the 2022 FIFA World Cup takes centre stage in Qatar.
The showpiece will be the first in an Arabian nation and the second in Asia since the Korea-Japan co-hosted event 20 years ago.
Here is everything you need to know about the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
When does the 2022 FIFA World Cup start and end?
The one-month showpiece will kick off in Qatar on Sunday, November 20 and will end with the final being played on Sunday, December 18.
The opening ceremony is expected to start at 5pm local time, ahead of the opening match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador, which kicks off at 7pm local time.
Which stadiums will host the World Cup in Qatar?
A total of eight stadiums are being used for the entirety of the event:
- Lusail Stadium (80,000-seater) in Lusail
- Al-Bayt Stadium (60,000-seater) in Al Khor
- Khalifa International Stadium (45,416-seater) in Al Rayyan
- Education City Stadium (45,350-seater) in Al Rayyan
- Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (44,740-seater) in Al Rayyan
- Al Janoub Stadium (40,000-seater) in Al Wakrah
- Al Thumama Stadium (40,000-seater) in Doha
- Stadium 974 (40,000-seater) in Doha
How many teams are playing in Qatar?
32 teams are competing at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. All teams will take part in the group stage which consists of eight groups of four.
The 32 teams are grouped as follows:
- GROUP A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, 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
The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stages of the competition, with group winners facing off group runners up in the round of 16.
Teams that defeat their opponents in the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will progress to the final stage of the competition with the winner of the final match, crowned as champions of the World.
What happens in case two teams are tied in a World Cup group?
The ranking of teams in the group stage is determined as follows:
- Points obtained in all group matches
- Goal difference in all group matches
- Number of goals scored in all group matches
- Points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question
- Goal difference in the matches played between the teams in question
- Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question
- Fair play points in all group matches (only one deduction can be applied to a player in a single match):
- 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
8. Drawing of lots.
Which players have been called up for the Qatar World Cup?
Full list for the 26-man squad for all 32 teams here: Every country’s World Cup squad
Where will the Qatar 2022 final be played?
The final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be played at the Lusail Stadium located about 23km north of Doha. Lusail Stadium was inaugurated on September 9, 2022.
The final will be played on December 18.
What is the prize money for the Qatar 2022 World Cup?
The winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup will get $42 million as compared to the $38 million France got for winning the 2018 tournament.
Apart from winning the most prestigious trophy in football, there are substantial financial incentives for the teams in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The runner-up will get $30 million, the third-placed team $27 million, and the fourth-place finisher $25 million. Teams eliminated in the quarterfinalists will get $17 million each, while $13 million will go to the round of 16 finishers.
All teams eliminated in the group stage are to get $9 million.
Who is the mascot of the Qatar World Cup?
The official mascot of the Qatar World Cup is La’eeb. The adventurous, fun and curious La’eeb was unveiled during the Qatar 2022 Final Draw, which took place in Doha on April 1, following a tradition that was initiated in England in 1966.
What is the name of the Qatar World Cup official match ball?
The official match ball, the « Al Rihla », was unveiled on 30 March 2022. In Arabic, the word Al Rihla means « the journey » – inspired by the culture, architecture, iconic boats and flag of Qatar.
The ball will be the first-ever official match ball created with water-based glues and inks.
There are rules and regulations for visiting fans at the Qatar World Cup, but what are they?
Read all about the dos and don’ts of 2022 FIFA World Cup
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