World Cup 2022: Dates, draw, schedule, kick-off times, final for Qatar tournament
The World Cup 2022 will be held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, with 32 teams competing in eight groups. On the first day of the competition, England will play Iran, while Wales will play the United States. Wales will play England on November 29.
Here is all the information you need to know about this year’s event, from important dates to kickoff timings.
When and where will the World Cup be in 2022?
Senegal and the Netherlands face battle in Group A on November 21 at the Al Thumama Stadium to begin off the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The hosts Qatar then face Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium.
With their Group B encounter against Iran set for just eight days after the Premier League wraps up, England will also play on the opening day.
Against Tuesday, November 29, Wales will take on England in Group B after advancing via the play-offs.
The final will be played on Sunday, December 18, a week before Christmas, at the Lusail Stadium in Doha.
Who has qualified?
Finally, all 32 of the participating countries in the competition are known.
Qatar qualified for the event automatically because they were the hosts this year.
Germany, the reigning World Cup champions, was the first side to gain a spot through the European qualification procedure, while Brazil, the most decorated nation in World Cup history with five titles, qualified as one of the top four teams in South America’s groups.
By winning their qualification group in November, England guaranteed their spot.
After winning their respective play-off finals, Portugal, Poland, and Wales advanced to the finals.
FIFA World Cup 2022
Qualified teams
| Qatar | Mexico | Senegal | Cameroon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Netherlands | Iran | Canada |
| Belgium | Denmark | Japan | Ecuador |
| France | Germany | Morocco | Saudi Arabia |
| Argentina | Uruguay | Serbia | Ghana |
| England | Switzerland | Poland | AFC v CONMEBOL winners |
| Spain | United States | South Korea | CONCACAF v OFC winners |
| Portugal | Croatia | Tunisia | Wales |
Who made their World Cup groups?
There will be 32 teams in eight groups of four when the 2022 World Cup debuts:
- 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 the World Cup’s schedule and format?
During the group stage, which lasts for 12 days and features four matches, the winners and runners-up advance to the round of 16.
On December 17, there will be a third-place play-off match, unlike at Euro 2020.
Group stage – all kick-off times in UK y
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)
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 C: 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 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)
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 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)
When will the games begin?
The first two rounds of games will begin at noon, four o’clock, seven o’clock, and ten o’clock local time, according to FIFA (10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm in the United Kingdom).
Matches in the knockout round and the final round of group play will begin at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time, respectively (3pm and 7pm UK time).
The championship match is set to begin at 6 p.m. local time (3pm UK time)
What venues are there?
Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, Education City Stadium, and Al Janoub Stadium are the eight stadiums where the group games will be played.
How will the Premier League fare?
The season will be altered to accommodate a World Cup that will take place in the middle of the domestic schedule, and the Premier League has confirmed crucial dates for the 2022–23 season.
A week earlier than usual, on August 6, 2022, the season will begin. Up until the weekend of November 12/13, 16 matchdays will be played before the tournament begins on November 21.
Following the World Cup final on December 18, the Premier League will resume on Boxing Day.
The season’s last round of matches will take place on May 28, 2023.
Important dates for the World Cup, Premier League, and Scottish Premiership
July 30 – Scottish Premiership season starts along with the EFL Championship, League One and League Two.
August 6 – Premier League season starts.
November 12-13 – Final round of Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premiership matches before the World Cup.
November 21 – World Cup starts.
December 2 – Final set of group stage matches.
December 3-6 – The round of 16 starts.
December 9-10 – The quarter-finals.
December 10 – The Championship resumes.
December 13-14 – World Cup semi-finals.
December 17 – The Scottish Premiership resumes.
December 18 – World Cup final.
December 26 – The Premier League resumes.
