Report By Humayun Kabir, The 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicked off on Sunday, November 20 at the Al Bayt Stadium.
When the country’s Emir opened the World Cup, he kissed his father’s hand and welcomed the world to football’s biggest event, the first time it has been staged in the Middle East.
“From Qatar, from the Arab world, I welcome everyone to the World Cup 2022,” Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said. “How lovely it is that people can put aside what divides them to celebrate their diversity and what brings them together.” Then, fireworks exploded from the roof of Al Bayt stadium.
But what captured the world and enthralled the spectators was the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by 20-year-old Quran reciter Ghanim Al Muftah, who is also a Fifa World Cup ambassador.
This is probably the first time that a Fifa World Cup opened with Quranic verses.
The final will be played at the Lusail Stadium in Doha a week before Christmas on Sunday, December 18.
World Cup 2022 is underway in Qatar; the World Cup final is on December 18; 32 teams to compete in eight groups; England face Iran on the second day of the tournament while Wales face the USA; Wales vs England on November 29
The 2022 World Cup will begin with 32 teams in eight groups of four:
- 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.
Four matches will be played each day during the group stage, which will run over a 12-day period and see winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16.
Sunday, November 20
Group A: Qatar 0-2 Ecuador
Monday, November 21
Group B: England 6-2 Iran
Group A: Senegal 0-2 Netherlands
Group B: USA vs Wales (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)
Tuesday, November 22
Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 10am)
Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)
Group C: Mexico vs Poland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)
Group D: France vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 7pm)
Wednesday November 23
Group F: Morocco vs Croatia (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 10am)
Group E: Germany vs Japan (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)
Group E: Spain vs Costa Rica (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm)
Group F: Belgium vs Canada (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)
Thursday November 24
Group G: Switzerland vs Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am)
Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)
Group H: Portugal vs Ghana (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)
Group G: Brazil vs Serbia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Friday, November 25
Group B: Wales vs Iran (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 10am)
Group A: Qatar vs Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 1pm)
Group A: Netherlands vs Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 4pm)
Group B: England vs USA (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Saturday, November 26
Group D: Tunisia vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am)
Group C: Poland vs Saudi Arabia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)
Group D: France vs Denmark (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)
Group C: Argentina vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Sunday, November 27
Group E: Japan vs Costa Rica (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 10am)
Group F: Belgium vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 1pm)
Group F: Croatia vs Canada (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 4pm)
Group E: Spain vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Monday, November 28
Group G: Cameroon vs Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am)
Group H: South Korea vs Ghana (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)
Group G: Brazil vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)
Group H: Portugal vs Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Tuesday, November 29
Group A: Netherlands vs Qatar (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3pm)
Group A: Ecuador vs Senegal (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Group B: Wales vs England (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)
Group B: Iran vs USA (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Wednesday, November 30
Group D: Australia vs Denmark (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
Group D: Tunisia vs France (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Group C: Poland vs Argentina (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Group C: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Thursday December 1
Group F: Croatia vs Belgium (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Group F: Canada vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3pm)
Group E: Costa Rica vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Group E: Japan vs Spain (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)
Friday, December 2
Group H: South Korea vs Portugal (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Group H: Ghana vs Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
Group G: Serbia vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Group G: Cameroon vs Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Round of 16
Saturday, December 3
49 – Winners of Group A vs Runners-up of Group B (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
50 – Winners of Group C vs Runners-up of Group D (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)
Sunday, December 4
52 – Winners of Group D vs Runners-up of Group C (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm)
51 – Winners of Group B vs Runners-up of Group A (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Monday, December 5
53 – Winners of Group E vs Runners-up of Group F (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
54 – Winners of Group G vs Runners-up of Group H (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Tuesday, December 6
55 – Winners of Group F vs Runners-up of Group E (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
56 – Winners of Group H vs Runners-up of Group G (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Quarter-finals
Friday, December 9
58 – Winners of 53 vs Winners of 54 (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
57 – Winners of 49 vs Winners of 50 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)
Saturday, December 10
60 – Winners of 55 vs Winners of 56 (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm)
59 – Winners of 51 vs Winners of 52 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Semi-finals
Tuesday, December 13
61 – Winners of 57 vs Winners of 58 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Wednesday, December 14
62 – Winners of 59 vs Winners of 60 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Saturday, December 17
63 – Third place play-off (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Final
Sunday, December 18
64 – The World Cup final (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 3pm)
What are England and Wales’ potential routes to the final?*
If England/Wales win Group B….
Sunday, December 4 – Last 16: England/Wales vs Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Saturday, December 10 – Quarter-final: England/Wales vs France (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Wednesday, December 14 – Semi-final: England/Wales vs Belgium (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Sunday, December 18 – Final: England/Wales vs Netherlands (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 3pm)
If England/Wales finish second in Group B…
Saturday, December 3 – Last 16: Netherlands vs England/Wales (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Friday, December 9 – Quarter-final: England/Wales vs Argentina (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)
Tuesday, December 13 – Semi-final: England/Wales vs Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Sunday, December 18 – Final: England/Wales vs France (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 3pm)
*Based on the highest FIFA world ranking finishing top of respective groups and winning knock-out games
When will the matches kick off?
The first two rounds of matches will kick off at 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 10pm local time (10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm in the United Kingdom).
Kick-off times for the final round of group games and knockout-round matches will be 6pm and 10pm local time (3pm and 7pm UK time).
The final is scheduled to kick off at 6pm local time (3pm UK time)