World Cup 2022 - Teams, Groups, Fixtures, Stadiums

World Cup 2022 is just around the corner, with the action set to get underway on November 20. Qatar will be the smallest country ever to stage the tournament, while FIFA has brought its flagship event to the Middle East for the first time.

All 64 matches will take place in a four-week period, with the final scheduled December 18. The quadrennial festival of football is about to begin - here is your guide to the teams, groups, matches and stadiums at World Cup 2022.

When is the World Cup 2022?

World Cup 2022 begins on November 20 and concludes on December 18. The tournament is taking place in the northern hemisphere winter for the first time, as climatic conditions in Qatar in June and July make it impossible to play football during those months.

The switch was controversial. In Qatar’s original bid, the country insisted it would be capable of staging the World Cup in its usual timeslot. FIFA confirmed the move to November and December 2015.

Where is World Cup 2022?

World Cup 2022 will be hosted by Qatar, which beat the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia in a vote held in December 2010. The decision has been heavily criticised ever since.

One of the main concerns is Qatar’s alleged poor treatment of migrant workers, especially those employed to work on the stadiums that will be used at the World Cup. Qatar is by far the smallest nation to ever host the competition, while allegations of bribery and corruption have dogged the country’s bidding team from the very start of the process.

However, this will be a historic tournament: it is the first World Cup to be staged in the Middle East and the Arab World, and only the second to be held in Asia after Japan and South Korea put on the 2002 event.

Why is the 2022 World Cup in Winter?

World Cup 2022 is being held in winter because of the extreme heat in Qatar during June and July. During those months, temperatures have been known to hit 50 degrees celsius in Doha, the capital.

The Asian Football Confederation recently awarded Qatar the right to host the 2023 Asian Cup. Originally scheduled for June and July, the tournament now looks set to be switched to January 2024.

Which Teams Have Qualified for the 2022 World Cup?

This will be the final World Cup to feature 32 teams ahead of an expansion to 48 for the 2026 edition (you can read more about the change at the bottom of this article). 

Thirteen of the 32 nations present in Qatar are from Europe. There will be six Asian representatives, five teams from Africa, and four each from South America and the CONCACAF region, which covers North America, Central America and the Caribbean. 

Check out the eight group tables below to see which countries will compete in Qatar at the upcoming tournament. 

Group A

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
Qatar	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0
Ecuador	2	1	1	0	3	1	2	4
Senegal	2	2	0	1	3	3	0	3
Netherlands	2	1	1	0	3	1	2	4

• Qatar vs Ecuador (November 20)
• Senegal vs Netherlands (November 21)
• Qatar vs Senegal (November 25)
• Netherlands vs Ecuador (November 25)
• Ecuador vs Senegal (November 25)
• Netherlands vs Qatar (November 25)

Highlights

Ecuador and the Netherlands are off to a strong start after both recorded 2-0 wins in their opening matches. The two teams will now face each other in their second match, with first-place for Group A on the line. The winner will likely avoid England in the Round of 16, while the runner-up will likely have to face the Three Lions. Senegal and Qatar are both in need of a win in their next match as they look to avoid an early exit from the tournament.

Group B

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
England	2	1	1	0	6	2	4	4
Iran	2	1	0	1	4	6	-2	3
USA	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
Wales	2	0	1	1	1	3	-2	1

• England vs Iran (November 21) - Played 
• USA vs Wales (November 21) - Played 
• Wales vs Iran (November 25)
• England vs USA (November 25)
• Wales vs England (November 29)
• Iran vs USA (November 29)

Highlights

England’s national football team won their first match at the 2022 World Cup, defeating Iran 6-2. Harry Kane, the team captain, wore a black “No Discrimination” armband during the match in a show of solidarity with the anti-discrimination campaign One Love. Two goals from Bukayo Saka with Raheem Sterling, Jude Bellingham, Jack Grealish, and Marcus Rashford contributing to the scorecard securing victory for England.

The USA and Wales drew 1-1 in their World Cup opening match, in a game characterized by poor play in the first half and a great Welsh comeback in the second. Wales were the better team for most of the match, but the USA took the lead in the 48th minute through a great goal from Tim Weah, assisted beautifully by Christian Pulisic. However, Wales equalized through a Gareth Bale penalty in the 82nd minute. Both teams will look for a win in their next game against Iran.

Group C

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
Argentina	2	1	0	1	3	2	1	3
Saudi Arabia	2	1	0	1	2	3	-1	3
Mexico	2	0	1	1	0	2	2	1
Poland	2	1	1	0	2	0	2	4

• Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (November 22)
• Mexico vs Poland (November 22)
• Poland vs Saudi Arabia (November 26)
• Argentina vs Mexico (November 26)
• Poland vs Argentina (November 30)
• Saudi Arabia vs Mexico (November 30)

Highlights

Saudi Arabia scored a shocking upset by beating Lionel Messi's Argentina, a favorite to win the cup, 2 goals to 1. The victory ended Argentina's 36-match unbeaten run, potentially jeopardizing Messi's quest to win the one major title to elude him. Goals by Saleh Alshehri and Salem Aldawsari in the second half gave the Saudis the win. Argentina took an early lead with a 10th-minute penalty by Messi.

Group D

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
France	2	2	0	0	6	2	4	6
Australia	2	1	0	1	2	4	-2	3
Denmark	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
Tunisia	2	0	1	1	0	1	-1	1

• Denmark vs Tunisia (November 22)
• France vs Australia (November 22)
• Tunisia vs Australia (November 26)
• France vs Denmark (November 26)
• Australia vs Denmark (November 30)
• Tunisia vs France (November 30)

Highlights

France are looking strong as they start their defense of their World Cup title with a 4-1 defeat over Australia. Denmark, on the other hand, who are considered one of the top contenders for the group, were only able to manage a 0-0 draw against Tunisia. The next round of matches will see France take on Denmark, while Tunisia and Australia face off against each other, fighting for a win to save their spot in the competition.

Group E

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
Spain	2	1	1	0	8	1	7	4
Costa Rica	2	1	0	1	1	7	-6	3
Germany	2	0	1	1	2	3	-1	1
Japan	2	1	0	1	2	2	0	3

• Germany vs Japan (November 23)
• Spain vs Costa Rica (November 23)
• Japan vs Costa Rica (November 27)
• Spain vs Germany (November 27)
• Japan vs Spain (December 1)
• Costa Rica vs Germany (December 1)

Highlights

Group E includes former champions Spain and Germany, as well as Costa Rica and Japan. Spain looked very strong in their opening match, defeating Costa Rica 7-0. Germany, on the other hand, lost 2-1 to Japan in yet another surprising upset. Both Germany and Spain will be looking to improve their performances in this edition of the World Cup. While Costa Rica and Japan will have a tough time advancing past the group stage, the results so far have proven that no team is invincible, and even the underdog can come out on top.

Group F

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
Belgium	2	1	0	1	1	2	-1	3
Canada	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0
Morocco	2	1	1	0	2	0	2	4
Croatia	2	1	1	0	4	1	3	4

• Morocco vs Croatia (November 23)
• Belgium vs Canada (November 23)
• Belgium vs Morocco (November 27)
• Croatia vs Canada (November 27)
• Croatia vs Belgium (December 1)
• Canada vs Morocco (December 1)

Highlights

Nothing much to report for Group F, unfortunately.  With a draw between Morroco and Croatia and a 1-0 defeat for Canada at the hands of the Red Devils. Michy Batshuayi scoring the only goal for the group. Could this be the beginning of a successful campaign for Belgium? 

Group G

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
Brazil	2	2	0	0	3	0	3	6
Serbia	2	0	1	1	3	5	-2	1
Switzerland	2	1	0	1	1	1	0	3
Cameroon	2	0	1	1	3	4	-1	1

• Switzerland vs Cameroon (November 24)
• Brazil vs Serbia (November 24)
• Cameroon vs Serbia (November 28)
• Brazil vs Switzerland (November 28)
• Serbia vs Switzerland (December 2)
• Cameroon vs Brazil (December 2)

Group H

Team	Played	Won	Draw	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
Portugal	2	2	0	0	5	2	3	6
Ghana	2	1	0	1	5	5	0	3
Uruguay	2	0	1	1	0	2	-2	1
South Korea	2	0	1	1	2	3	-1	1

• Uruguay vs South Korea (November 24)
• Portugal vs Ghana (November 24)
• South Korea vs Ghana (November 28)
• Portugal vs Uruguay (November 28)
• Ghana vs Uruguay (December 2)
• South Korea vs Portugal (December 2)

Highlights

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in five World Cups with a penalty to help steer his side to a 3-2 win over Ghana on Thursday. Uruguay defender Diego Godin and midfielder Federico Valverde both with near misses and a 0-0 draw to South Korea in their opening match.

How Does World Cup Tournament Work?

World Cup 2022 will begin with a group stage. Each team will play three games in the first phase of the tournament, which means there will be six matches per group and 48 overall. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a defeat.

The teams that finish in the top two of their group will advance to the knockout stage, which begins with the round of 16. The draw for this round is predetermined: the winner of Group A will face the runner-up in Group B, the runner-up of Group A will take on the winner of Group B, and so on.

The teams that triumph in the round of 16 go through to the quarter-finals, which is followed by the semi-finals and the final. The losers of the two semi-finals will contest the third-place play-off.

How Many Matches Will There be at World Cup 2022?

There will be 64 matches at the World Cup: 48 in the group stage, eight in the round of 16, four in the quarter-finals and two in the semi-finals, plus the final and the third-place play-off.

Group Stage Schedule

The group stage begins on November 20 when host nation Qatar opens the tournament against Ecuador. There will then be four matches per day between November 21 and December 2, with each team given four days’ rest between fixtures (Qatar and Ecuador will have five days to prepare for their second matches).

On matchday three of the group phase, games in each section will kick off simultaneously to ensure fairness. If they were held back-to-back as on matchdays one and two, some teams might know the exact result they need to qualify in advance, thus handing them an advantage.

Knockout Stage Schedule 

There will be two round of 16 matches on each of December 3, December 4, December 5 and December 6. The winners of the games held on the same day will face each other in the quarter-finals, which will be split between December 9 and December 10.

The semi-finals will take place on December 13 and December 14, followed by the third-place play-off on December 17.

World Cup 2022 Final

The final of World Cup 2022 will take place on December 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000. Although this is the 22nd edition of the World Cup, this will only be the 21st final. That is because the 1950 tournament, won by Uruguay, did not have a final.

When Will the Games Kick Off?

The first two rounds of group games will take place at 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 10pm local time, which is 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 11am, 2pm, 5pm and 8pm in Central European Time (CET), and 5am, 8am, 11am and 2pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

The final round of group games are scheduled for 6pm and 10pm in Qatar, which is 3pm and 7pm in GMT, 4pm and 8pm in CET, and 10am and 2pm in EDT.

Matches in the knockout phase will be held at 6pm and 10pm in Qatar. That is the equivalent of 3pm and 7pm in GMT, 4pm and 8pm in CET, and 10am in 2pm in EDT.

What Are the World Cup 2022 Venues?

Stadium	City	Capacity	Selected Game
Al Bayt Stadium	Al Khor	60,000	Second semi-final
Khalifa International Stadium	Al Rayyan	45,146	Germany vs Japan
Education City Stadium	Al Rayyan	45,350	First quarter-final
Ahmad bin Ali Stadium	Al Rayyan	44,740	Croatia vs Belgium
Al Janoub Stadium	Al Wakrah	40,000	France vs Australia
Al Thumama Stadium	Doha	40,000	Third quarter-final
Stadium 974	Doha	40,000	Brazil vs Switzerland
Lusail Iconic Stadium	Lusail	80,000	Final

Official World Cup 2022 Match Ball

Each World Cup has an official match ball, and this year’s will be the ‘Al Rihla’, which means ‘the journey’ in Arabic.

According to Adidas, the “seamless Al Rihla Pro ball takes precision to new heights.. its dhow-inspired Speedshell panel shape combines with texturing and diamond debossing to enhance swerve and accuracy [and] the vibrant graphics shimmer under a pearlescent finish.”

Teams to Watch

Brazil are the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar. The five-time champions have one of the strongest squads in the competition, while their manager Tite is a smart tactician. The big question is whether the Selecao will be able to handle the pressure.

Brazil lost 1-0 to Argentina in the final of the Copa America last year. With Lionel Messi in fine form at club level, the Argentines are hopeful of winning their first World Cup since 1986. Their defence could be a weak point, though.

France are looking to become only the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups after Brazil (1958 and 1962) and Italy (1934 and 1938). Theirs is probably the most talented squad in international football, but there is concern over possible dressing-room discord.

England reached the final of last summer’s European Championship but have posted some disappointing results in recent months. 

Spain reached the last four of Euro 2020 but sometimes struggle to turn possession into goals.

Four-time World Cup winners Germany can never be written off, while potential outsiders include the Netherlands, Belgium, Uruguay, Portugal and Denmark.

Qatar will be looking to spring a surprise. They will no doubt draw inspiration from the likes of South Korea (2002) and Russia (2018), both of whom exceeded expectations as the host nation.

Players to Watch

Lionel Messi has never won the World Cup and a triumph this winter would arguably round off his career. Messi is no longer at his peak but he remains one of the world’s best players.

Cristiano Ronaldo is also past his best and he is no longer a guaranteed starter for Manchester United. His record for Portugal is unparalleled, though, and he too is striving to taste World Cup glory for the first time.

France’s challenge will be led by Karim Benzema, the recent winner of the 2022 Ballon d’Or, and Kylian Mbappe, who is widely expected to win that award at some point in the future.

England captain Harry Kane was the top scorer at the 2018 World Cup and will be looking to become the first player in history to win back-to-back Golden Boots.

Spain’s teenage sensation Pedri has the potential to light up the tournament, as does Germany attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala.

Elsewhere, Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Sadio Mane (Senegal) and Son Heung-min (South Korea) are the world-class star players of less fancied nations.

What Will Happen With the Premier League?

The Premier League will take a mid-season pause, with the last matches scheduled for November 13. The season will resume on December 26, just eight days after the World Cup final.

Most major European leagues are following a similar timeline. La Liga will get under way again on December 31, Serie A will pick things up on January 4 and Ligue 1 will start again on December 27.

The exception is the Bundesliga, which goes straight into its winter break after the World Cup. The action in Germany’s top flight will finally resume on January 20.

Past World Cup Results

Year	Host Country	Number of Teams	Winner
1930	Uruguay	13	Uruguay
1934	Italy	16	Italy
1938	France	15	Italy
1950	Brazil	13	Uruguay
1954	Switzerland	16	West Germany
1958	Sweden	16	Brazil
1962	Chile	16	Brazil
1966	England	16	England
1970	Mexico	16	Brazil
1974	West Germany	16	West Germany
1978	Argentina	16	Argentina
1982	Spain	24	Italy
1986	Mexico	24	Argentina
1990	Italy	24	West Germany
1994	United States	24	Brazil
1998	France	32	France
2002	Japan and South Korea	32	Brazil
2006	Germany	32	Italy
2010	South Africa	32	Spain
2014	Brazil	32	Germany
2018	Russia	32	France

Looking Ahead to World Cup 2026

World Cup 2026 will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams after FIFA approved an expansion in 2017.

The enlargement of the competition necessitates a change in format. Rather than eight groups with four teams each, World Cup 2026 will have 16 groups of three. 

The top two in each group will advance to the knockout stage, which will begin with a round of 32 followed by the customary round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.