The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 official emblem was projected on to a number of iconic buildings, Qatar, September 3, 2019. /VCG
The complete schedule for the first ever winter World Cup has been released and the extravaganza seems to be well-equipped to offer an unrivaled feast for football aficionados.
An unprecedented four games will be played each day during the group stage of the biggest sporting spectacle in the world in 2022, with kickoff times at 1 pm (1000 GMT), 4 pm (1300 GMT), 7 pm (1600 GMT) and 10 pm (1900 GMT). The final round of group games and knockout matches will be held at 6 pm and 10 pm。
"The World Cup is always a festival of football, a real celebration for the fans who come on-site and watch. In Qatar, with the compact nature, this is going to be amplified even more with 32 teams and 32 sets of supporters all in and around Doha," said FIFA Chief Tournaments and Events Officer Colin Smith.
The showpiece event in Qatar will be the last World Cup with 32 teams before the controversial expansion to 48 squads at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is shown at Nile Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Cairo, Egypt, January 21, 2020. /VCG
When does the 2022 World Cup start?
The opening match of the tournament will involve hosts Qatar and kick off on November 21, while the final will be on December 18, just one week before Christmas.
The tournament was shifted from its usual summer slot due to the sweltering desert heat in Qatar and is the first that will be held in the Middle East.
The time switch will cause a scheduling nightmare for Europe's football leagues, which will be forced to overhaul their season to accommodate the break for the World Cup.
The match schedule for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has been released. /FIFA website
What is the 2022 World Cup match schedule?
Group stage fixtures will run from November 21 until December 2. The event will then jump straight to the last-16 stage with two games a day on December 3, 4, 5 and 6.
There will be two rest days on December 7 and 8 before the quarterfinals took place on December 9 and 10. A further two rest days will fall on December 11 and 12, with the semifinals being played on December 13 and 14.
The third-place play-off will be unveiled on December 17, with the final being staged on December 18.
Eight stadiums in Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup's 64 matches. /FIFA website
Where will the matches be played?
The opening match will take place at the 60,000-seater Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor on November 21, while the final will be staged at the 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium in Doha on December 18. Khalifa International Stadium will host the third-place playoff on December 17.
All eight venues – Al Bayt Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Rayyan Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium and Education City Stadium, Ras Abu Aboud Stadium – are within an hour of each other, making it possible for fans to attend multiple games each day.
"The tournament's compact nature – with no air travel needed to move between the venues – will allow organizers, for the first time, to optimize specific match demands for the benefit and comfort of fans, teams and media," FIFA said in a statement.
Al Bayt Stadium, taking its name and shape from the traditional tents used by the nomadic people of the region, will stage the 2022 World Cup's opening game. /VCG
How does 2022 World Cup qualification work?
Asian qualification for the World Cup began on June 6, 2019 but it has been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with many games suspended.
The first two rounds of South American and African qualifiers in March 2020 were also put on hold due to the virus and are expected to return in September and October if the pandemic subsides. Qualifying in the Americas and Oceania has not started and will be revamped amid the crisis.
The European qualifiers will not begin until March next year as 55 nations will be split into 10 groups when the draw is held on November 29, 2020.
General view of the African qualification draw for the 2022 World Cup, Cairo, Egypt, January 21, 2020. /VCG
How to buy World Cup 2022 tickets
According to FIFA, for those eager to book their seats at Qatar 2022, hospitality sales are scheduled to start in late 2020.
Ticket sales for the general public will be conducted solely via FIFA's official website, where details on the timeline, phases, categories and prices will be communicated in due course.