Theis now just a matter of weeks away with the unique circumstances creating a very different feel to this year’s tournament compared with previous editions.
There are plenty of differences, but much will remain the same as well, despite the being played in winter rather than the sweltering Qatari summer.
Disruption has to clubs and competitions around the world, with congested fixture lists causing concern for player welfare and fitness.
But excitement is building for the first football World Cup to take place in the Middle East.
Here is everything you need to know about the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
When is the FIFA World Cup 2022? Dates and schedule
The tournament will run from November 20 – December 18 2022.
The group stages end on December 2 with the last 16 on 2-6, quarter-finals 9-10, semi-finals 13-14 and the final on December 18.
World Cup TV coverage in the UK
As usual, the will be sharing the coverage.
Every match will be shown live on TV, with fans able to also watch the action on BBC iPlayer and the ITV Hub.
What’s the time difference?
is three hours ahead of the UK in November, with matches kicking off at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm UK time during the group stage and 3pm and 7pm in the knockout stage.
How to get tickets for the World Cup
More than 800,000 tickets were sold when they first went on sale.
Two more ticket window opportunities have already been and gone, meaning that fans still wishing to watch the action live in Qatar face a difficult task in getting hold of tickets.
However, FIFA’s ‘Last Minute Sales Phase’ will open in advance of the competition starting, meaning that tickets could still become available for World Cup matches.
For more information, visit the .
Which teams have already qualified?
The 32 teams contesting the World Cup have now been confirmed, and the .
World Cup draw in full
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
What is happening to the Premier League and Champions League during the World Cup?
The will stop on November 13, with the first World Cup match taking place on November 20.
The Premier League will return to action on Boxing Day just eight days after the final.
Meanwhile, the group stage will finish on November 2, and has been condensed into an eight week window instead of the usual 12.
The season started earlier (August 6, 2022) and will finish slightly later (May 28, 2023) than normal.
What will be the temperature in Qatar during the World Cup?
The temperature in November and December in Qatar is likely to be perfectly fine for playing football, unlike if it was played in July.
reports that the maximum temperature in November in Doha is 30°C, with a minimum of 20°C, with these falling to a max of 25°C and minimum of 16°C in December.
What stadiums will be used?
There are eight stadiums being used in Qatar, with the opening contest at the Al Bayt Stadium and the final held at the Lusail Stadium.
Lusail Stadium, Lusail: Capacity: 80,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
1x Quarter-Final
1x Semi-Final
Final
Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor: Capacity: 60,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
1x Quarter-Final
1x Semi-Final
Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah: Capacity: 40,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan: Capacity: 40,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
Khalifa International Stadium, Doha: Capacity: 40,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
Match for Third Place
Education City Stadium, Doha: Capacity: 40,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
1x Quarter-Final
Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, Ras Abu Aboud: Capacity: 40,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
Al Thumama Stadium, Doha: Capacity: 40,000
5x Group Matches
1x Round of 16
1x Quarter-Final
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