World Cup 2022: Dates, draw, schedule

 

World Cup 2022 is underway in Qatar; World Cup final on December 18; 32 teams to compete in eight groups

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From key dates to kick-off times, here's all you need to know about this year's tournament.

When is the 2022 World Cup?

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicked off on Sunday November 20 at the Al Bayt Stadium, with the hosts losing 2-0 to Ecuador in Group A.

The final will be played at the Lusail Stadium in Doha a week before Christmas on Sunday December 18.

The 2022 World Cup will begin with 32 teams in eight groups of four:

• 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 format and schedule?

Four matches will be played each day during the group stage, which will run over a 12-day period and see winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16.

Unlike at Euro 2020, there will be a third-place play-off game on December 17.

Group stage - all kick-off times in UK

Sunday November 20

Group A: Qatar 0-2 Ecuador

Monday November 21

Group B: England 6-2 Iran
Group A: Senegal 0-2 Netherlands
Group B: USA 1-1 Wales

Tuesday November 22

Group C: Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia
Group D: Denmark 0-0 Tunisia
Group C: Mexico 0-0 Poland
Group D: France 4-1 Australia

Wednesday November 23

Group F: Morocco 0-0 Croatia
Group E: Germany 1-2 Japan
Group E: Spain 7-0 Costa Rica
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 D: 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 H: South Korea vs Ghana (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)
Group G: 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 H: South Korea vs Portugal (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Group H: Ghana vs Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
Group G: Serbia vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Group G: 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; 7pm)

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)

What is England and Wales' potential route to the final?*

If England/Wales win Group B....

Sunday December 4 - Last 16: England/Wales vs Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Saturday December 10 - Quarter-final: England/Wales vs France (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Wednesday December 14 - Semi-final: England/Wales vs Belgium (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Sunday December 18 - Final: England/Wales vs Netherlands (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 3pm)

If England/Wales finish second in Group B...

Saturday December 3 - Last 16: Netherlands vs England/Wales (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)

Friday December 9 - Quarter-final: England/Wales vs Argentina (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)

Tuesday December 13 - Semi-final: England/Wales vs Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Sunday December 18 - Final: England/Wales vs France (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 3pm)

*Based on highest FIFA world ranking finishing top of respective groups and winning knock-out games

Provisional last 16 fixtures (Last updated: Tuesday November 22 based on current group tables)

Round of 16

Saturday December 3
49 - Netherlands (Winners of Group A) vs Wales (Runners-up of Group B) - Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm
50 - Saudi Arabia (Winners of Group C) vs Tunisia (Runners-up of Group D) - Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm

Sunday December 4
52 - France (Winners of Group D) vs Poland (Runners-up of Group C) - Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm
51 - England (Winners of Group B) vs Ecuador (Runners-up of Group A) - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm

Monday December 5
53 - Spain, Costa Rica, Germany or Japan (Winners of Group E) vs Belgium, Canada, Morocco or Croatia (Runners-up of Group F) - Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm
54 - Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland or Cameroon (Winners of Group G) vs Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay or South Korea (Runners-up of Group H) - Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm

Tuesday December 6
55 - Belgium, Canada, Morocco or Croatia (Winners of Group F) vs Spain, Costa Rica, Germany or Japan (Runners-up of Group E) - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm
56 - Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay or South Korea (Winners of Group H) vs Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland or Cameroon (Runners-up of Group G) - Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm

Provisional quarter-final fixtures (Last updated: Tuesday November 22 using current group table standings)

Friday December 9
58 - Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Canada, Morocco or Croatia vs Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon, Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay or South Korea - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm
57 - Netherlands or Wales vs Saudi Arabia or Tunisia - Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 3pm

Saturday December 10
60 - Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia, Spain, Costa Rica, Germany or Japan vs Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea, Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland or Cameroon - Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm
59 - England or Ecuador vs France or Poland - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm

When will the matches kick off?

The first two rounds of matches will kick off at 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 10pm local time (10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm in the United Kingdom).

Kick-off times for the final round of group games and knockout-round matches will be 6pm and 10pm local time (3pm and 7pm UK time).

The final is scheduled to kick off at 6pm local time (3pm UK time)