THE FIFA WORLD CUP IN QATAR

By Harry George

Following in the trailblazing footsteps of the first Asian World Cup hosts, Japan and South Korea in 2002, then the first African hosts South Africa in 2010, Qatar is making history this winter by being the first Middle Eastern nation to host the FIFA World Cup. Whilst traditionally being held during northern hemisphere

summer, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is being played from November 21st to December 18th to avoid the harsh summer heat of the Arabian sun. History isn’t only being made by the hosts, there’s also some first time qualifiers and other unfamiliar faces taking part this year, as well as some previous winners not even making the tournament itself. As of the date of writing, these are the groups for the FIFA World Cup: Alphonso Davies, Lille’s Johnathon David, and managed by Englishman John Herdman, they have the potential to cause upsets with a level of squad belief that is familiar to previous World Cup dark horses like 2010’s Uruguay, 2014’s Costa Rica and 2018’s Croatia who beat all odds to make the final before falling to a French team speared on by world class talent Mbappe. Despite this level of squad belief in the

Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H Qatar England Argentina France Spain Belgium Brazil Portugal Ecuador Iran Saudi Arabia TBA TBA Canada Serbia Ghana Senegal U.S.A Mexico Denmark Germany Morocco Switzerland Uruguay Netherlands Wales Poland Tunisia Japan Croatia Cameroon South Korea

Qatar are making their debut in the tournament with their opening match being played on November 21st at 19:00 GMT (16:00 in Qatar.) This is the second match of the tournament, with the opening match being played the same day at 13:00 between fellow group A competitors Netherlands facing off against Senegal in what will be a close match between footballing superstars, and former teammates Virgil Van Dijk and Sadio Mane.

Among the nations making their long-awaited returns to the prestigious contest are Canada. Led by Bayern Munich’s Canadian team, they have been thrust into this tournament group of death having to face Belgium, whose golden generation is looking for their last dance, Croatia looking to prove 2018 wasn’t also the last outing of their golden generation, and Morocco a side coming off a disappointing 2022 AFCON and looking to utilise the talent of PSG’s Achraf Hakimi.

Another side making their much-awaited return at the end of a golden generation (sensing a theme in this World Cup) is Wales. Getting through a turbulent time off the pitch with

managerial changes, who else but Gareth Bale would score the free kick to send Wales past a resolute Ukraine and into their first World Cup since John Charles led them to the tournament in 1958. Wales though, despite their chance at international stardom will be facing a very familiar foe in their group, Group B. Wales were drawn into a group with Euro 2020 finalists England, along with the U.S.A making their return after missing 2018, and Iran making their third World Cup in a row for the first time in their history. Group B kicks off on the November 21st at 16:00 with England facing Iran. Wales make their World Cup return kicking off at 22:00 against the U.S.A. All eyes will be on the final matchday of Group B with England facing Wales with the potential of the winner moving onto the knockout stages and the losers getting the next flight out of Doha International Airport.

Group stage - all kick-off times in GMT

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 UAE/Australia/Peru (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 7pm)

Monday November 21

Group A: Senegal vs Netherlands (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 10am) Group B: England vs Iran (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group A: Qatar vs Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm) Group B: USA vs Wales (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; 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/New Zealand (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm) Group F: Belgium vs Canada (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; 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)

Sunday November 27

Group E: Japan vs Costa Rica/New Zealand (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)

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)

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; kickoff 4pm) Group G: Brazil vs Serbia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Saturday November 26

Group C: Tunisia vs UAE/Australia/Peru (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; kickoff 4pm) Group C: Argentina vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Monday November 28

Group G: Cameroon vs Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am) Group G: South Korea vs Ghana (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group H: Brazil vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm) Group H: Portugal vs Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Wednesday November 30

Group D: UAE/Australia/Peru 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; kickoff 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/New Zealand 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 G: South Korea vs Portugal (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) Group G: Ghana vs Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm) Group H: Serbia vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm) Group H: 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; 3pm

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)

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