Following two years of qualification competitions across five different sporting continents, the stage is finally set for this year’s World Cup in Qatar. Even though the teams already know who they will face off, there are still many unanswered questions regarding how the first Winter World Cup will unfold. Here’s a quick overview of the world’s most popular athletic event.
Wait … Isn’t the World Cup Usually in Summer?
For the first time in history, this year’s FIFA world cup edition will not be held in Summer. The choice was influenced by Qatar’s scorching temperatures, which are at their highest in June and July. As a result, FIFA has decided that the event should be staged in November and December since the heat would be much easier for players to handle.
The competition kicks off with four matches on November 21st, which marks the beginning of 12 days of four games per day. The grand final takes place on the 18th of December, one week before Christmas Day.
Who Qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
31 additional countries have qualified for the event by winning regional tournaments in their respective regions. The lot includes 13 European countries, 5 from Africa and Asia, 4 from South America and North/Central America & Caribbean.
Below is the complete list of countries and the eight groups forming the FIFA World Cup 2022
Group A
Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands.
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.
Who’s the Favorite to Win?
According to the top FIFA World Cup betting sites, Argentina, France, Brazil, Portugal, and England are the most likely to win the tournament. Other countries like Senegal, the Netherlands, and Belgium could also surprise the competition at the end.
Now that we’ve all gotten a better understanding of what’s going to happen, here are some interesting facts about the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
This is the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East
Prepare for some of the warmest hospitality y’all! In spite of all the bitterness that’s been going on about how Qatar managed to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup bid, this could be a fantastic opportunity for people from all over the world to experience the warm and hospitable culture of the Arab world.
All World Cup stadiums in Qatar are within one hour of each other
At the 2022 World Cup, players will not have to travel far to get from one location to another. All eight World Cup venues in Qatar are less than an hour apart. Besides being convenient, it allows soccer fans to organize their World Cup viewing schedules and include various games from various groups.
Most expensive World Cup in history
Over $200 billion!
This may come as a major shock, especially because some of the most recent editions have cost their host nations between $7 and $15 billion.
Several World Cup-related infrastructure expenditures are part of the country’s larger Qatar 2030 plan, which aims to create an innovation hub with hotels, complex underground infrastructure, stadiums, and airports. While the World Cup has boosted these initiatives, they are primarily long-term investments.
Alcohol
For the first time in the tournament’s 92-year existence, the World Cup will be held in a Muslim country where drinking alcohol is prohibited. All stadium bars are expected to be alcohol-free, except pre- and post-match beer sales permitted outside certain venues.