The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be here before you know it! We’ve organized a guide to make sure you’re prepared for the 22nd edition of the world’s greatest sporting event. From tournament dates to host cities and World Cup format to ticket info, we’ve got you covered.
When is the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
November 21 to December 18, 2022.
Wait a second, isn’t the World Cup a summer tournament? Normally, yes. However, this edition of the tournament shifts to winter to avoid extreme Qatari summer temperatures. As a result, the tournament will be held over fewer days (only 28) and countries around the world will adjust their domestic league schedule to fit around the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Where is the World Cup being held?
Qatar will play host to the world’s biggest sporting event. The country on the Arabian Peninsula is home to roughly 2.8 million people. The capital, Doha, will play host to games, as will as four other cities: Al Khor, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, and Lusail.
In total, the Qataris will construct eight venues for the tournament. See the list below for more information.
| City | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Al Khor | Al Bayt Stadium | 60,000 |
| Al Rayyan | Ahmed bin Ali Stadium | 44,740 |
| Al Rayyan | Education City Stadium | 45,350 |
| Al Rayyan | Khalifa International Stadium | 40,000 |
| Al Wakrah | Al Janoub Stadium | 40,000 |
| Doha | Al Thumama Stadium | 40,000 |
| Doha | Ras Abu Aboud Stadium | 40,000 |
| Lusail | Lusail Iconic Stadium | 80,000 |
The first game, played on November 21st, will be held at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, while the final, played on December 18th, will be at Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail.
Where can I watch the World Cup?
The World Cup will be televised live on both English-language and Spanish-language channels via FOX and Telemundo. Further broadcast details will be announced as we get closer to the tournament, but expect full coverage across FOX, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, Telemundo, and NBC Universo.
Stay tuned for updated info on streaming platforms, as well.
What is the World Cup format?
The 22nd edition of the World Cup will remain a 32-team tournament prior to expanding to 48 teams for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The first segment is the Group State, where 32 teams are split into eight separate groups of four teams. All four teams will play each other to accumulate points. The top two then advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup.
From there, it becomes a March Madness-style tournament where losers are immediately eliminated while winners advance to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and eventually the World Cup final.
What teams qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
The qualification process is still unfolding, so as of now the only team that has qualified is the host country, Qatar. The other 31 countries will come from the six FIFA confederations and break down as follows:
- CAF (Africa): 5 teams
- AFC (Asia): 4.5 teams – not including the Qatari hosts
- UEFA (Europe): 13 teams
- CONCACAF (North & Central America & Caribbean): 3.5 teams
- OFC (Oceania): 0.5 teams
- CONMEBOL (South America): 4.5 teams
The half-team means a team qualifies for a home-and-away play-in game. For example, in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Honduras (CONCACAF) played Australia (Asia) for a final spot in the tournament.
What is the World Cup schedule?
While the participating countries remains to be seen, the schedule and kick-off times are set. See below for full details with all times listed in Eastern Standard Time.
- Group Stage: Nov. 21 to Dec. 2 (5am ET, 8am, 11am, 2pm)
- Round of 16: Dec. 3 to Dec. 6 (10am, 2pm)
- Quarterfinals: Dec. 9 to Dec. 10 (10am, 2pm)
- Semifinals: Dec. 13 to Dec. 14 (2pm)
- Final: Dec. 18 (10am)
Can I buy tickets to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
Of course you can! For more information visit FIFA’s ticketing website.
Who are the World Cup sponsors?
As of now, FIFA has nine sponsors – six of whom are official FIFA partners, while the other three are World Cup-specific partners.
FIFA Partners
- Adidas
- Coca-Cola
- Hyundai Motors
- Visa
- Qatar Airways
- Wanda Group
World Cup Partners
- Budweiser
- McDonald’s
- Vivo
Categories: Broadcast, Just For Fun, World Cup