FIFA World Cup 2022: A Footballing Carnival Awaits In The Middle East

World football’s greatest competition on earth, the FIFA World Cup 2022 is being eagerly awaited by football fans around the world and the destination for the competition is the Middle East this time. Qatar, one of the most happening destinations in the region, is gearing up for a month-long carnival. A whopping $200 billion USD is being spent on infrastructure projects ahead of the upcoming world cup which is set to make it the most expensive world cup in history.

Wish to know more? Let's dive in deep and discuss more about the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

When Will The FIFA Qatar 2022 Kick Off?

Perhaps the first interesting thing to note about the upcoming Qatar FIFA World Cup is its schedule. The world cup will not be taking place in its usual summer slot. Instead, this will be the first-ever winter world cup in the Northern Hemisphere. Usually, the world cup takes place every four years during the months of June and July.

However, this will be the first time ever that the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be taking place in the months of November and December. The competition would kick off on the 21st of November and end with the final being scheduled for the 18th of December 2022.

But now here's a question - Why has the FIFA World Cup 2022 been rescheduled?

Well, perhaps it's simple to understand. Qatar is a desert nation and summers in this part of the Middle East can be unbearable at times. In fact, the summer temperatures can reach up to 50 degrees celsius which isn't the most perfect weather to play a football match, right? So, the decision to shift the world cup to winter has been officially taken by FIFA, making it the first-ever winter world cup in the Northern Hemisphere.

Broadcast Timings For The Upcoming FIFA World Cup In Qatar

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar would be played from 21st November to 18th December 2022. Here are the broadcast timings for the whole competition.

• 1 pm (1000 GMT)
• 4 pm (1300 GMT)
• 7 pm (1600 GMT)
• 10 pm (1900 GMT)

Broadcast timings for the group stage and knockout games during the FIFA World Cup 2022.

• 6 PM (1900 GMT)
• 10 PM (1900 GMT)

Stadiums To Host FIFA Qatar 2022 Matches

For the first time in the history of the FIFA World Cup, there will be only eight stadiums hosting the competition. Here are the stadiums you need to know about.  

1. Khalifa International Stadium

Location - Doha, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 40,000 (+12000 for the World Cup)  

2. Lusail Stadium

Location - Lusail, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 80,000+

3. Education City Stadium

Location - Education City, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 40,000

4. Al Bayt Stadium

Location - Al Khor, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 60,000+  

5. Al Rayyan Stadium

Location - Al Rayyan, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 40,000+

6. Al Janoub Stadium

Location - Al Wakrah, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 40,000

7. Ras Abu Aboud Stadium

Location - Doha, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 40,000

8. Al Thumama Stadium

Location - Doha, Qatar

Seating Capacity - 40,000

Match Schedule For FIFA Qatar 2022

The FIFA Qatar 2022 will be played in only eight stadiums starting from 21st November 2022. Here's the match schedule for the whole competition.

FIFA 2022 - Group Stage

FIFA 2022 - Round of 16

FIFA 2022 - Quarter Finals

FIFA 2022 - Semi Finals

FIFA 2022 - Third-Place Match

FIFA 2022 - Final

FIFA 2022 World Cup: Expectations and Fact Check

Now here's a thing, the FIFA World Cup 2022 promises to be a fascinating contest and there are a number of facts that are worth discussing. So, here are those interesting facts about the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022.

Fewest Number Of Stadiums

The Qatar FIFA World Cup would be the first-ever world cup to be played at only eight stadiums. Qatar, the host nation, is spending a serious amount of money on building seven new stadiums ahead of the world cup with one old stadium being lined up for a complete revamp. To make matters more interesting, the infrastructure project ahead of the world cup including the stadiums in Qatar is near completion.  

Records Number Of Flights To Arrive In Qatar

Ask yourself where would you go in the Middle East and Qatar would be one of the answers. A popular travel destination in the region, there are places to visit in Qatar that majorly attract travelers. But in 2022, the FIFA World Cup would be attracting a record number of visitors to the country.

As per an estimate, this would be the first time when the country would attract millions of tourists in such a short span of time. In fact, the Hamad International Airport and Qatar Airways would be joining hands to bring a whopping 1300 flights into the country on a daily basis during the world cup.  

Record Visitors In The Country

The tourism industry is set to receive a massive boost once the world cup 2022 in Qatar kicks off. Since Qatar falls right at the center of the earth, visitors from all over the world would be expected to come to the country once the tournament kicks off. In fact, there will be about 1.2 million visitors in the country for the world cup.

The number may even be higher considering the flight prices from around the world to Qatar. With airlines planning to offer economical flights to the country during the world cup, the number may well go much higher.  

A Friendly Welcome Awaits

If you've ever been to Qatar, you probably know what we mean by a friendly welcome. A country that is known for its generous hospitality, the people in Qatar are friendly too. This is a country that welcomes guests with open arms and people like to socialize with travelers. In fact, if you're visiting Qatar and receive a dinner invitation to a Qatari house, just make sure not to miss it as this might be the best opportunity to catch a glimpse of the culture of the country.

So, with the world cup coming up in Qatar, traveling fans are certainly in for a treat as the country would be able to provide the kind of welcome anyone would desire. In fact, the FIFA World Cup is being seen as a medium to bridge the cultural gap between Europe and the Middle East. The event is seen as a beginning of a new chapter and something that would heavily boost tourism in Qatar in the years to come.

First-Ever Winter World Cup

Yes, the FIFA World Cup in the Middle East will be the first-ever winter world cup in the Northern Hemisphere. Normally, the world cup takes place during the Asian Summer months in the Southern Hemisphere. This is the time when the Southern Hemisphere region experiences winter conditions. However, the host nation for the latest edition of the world cup in Qatar, and this is a country that records extreme summer conditions during the time of April to July and August. Hence, hosting a world cup during the summers in Qatar seems like a bad idea.

So, this is where the winter slot comes into play. The whole event has now been rescheduled and will take place during the Asian winter, starting from 21st November 2022 and ending with the final on 18th December 2022. The whole prospect of a new winter world cup in the Northern Hemisphere is completely new which is what makes the upcoming world cup more unique for fans and the footballing community. So, are you ready for a winter football feast in the Middle East this time around?

32 Teams To Compete At The World Cup

Over the years, FIFA has made some notable changes in regard to the major events that are held. One such change is in the number of teams that can compete. The world cup after FIFA 2022 is set to have around 50+ teams from around the world. However, the 2022 world cup will be competed by 32 teams only including the host nation Qatar. Post this edition, the number of teams would go up to around 54.

Developments and Plan for FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar

Fan Zones To Serve Alcohol

Alcohol has been a major talking point as far as the upcoming FIFA World Cup is concerned and fans love to sip a beer while watching their favorite teams play. However, Qatar is an Islamic country, and alcohol here is obviously not found much. While public drinking is strictly prohibited, there are only a few hotels and bars that serve alcohol. So, with the availability of alcohol in the stadiums being the point of uncertainty, there is confusion as to how Qatar will make it available for the fans during the world cup. So, the question is, how will alcohol be served during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar?

Well, Qatar has come up with a solution. The country would be setting up fan zones around the country where fans would not only get alcohol at reduced prices but would also be able to watch the game live from there. These fan zones have already been tested during the FIFA Club World Cup and will be located in close proximity to the venues during the competition. If the reports are to be believed, the alcohol served in the fan zones would be considerably cheaper than the alcohol that is served by hotels and bars in Qatar. So, as far as the availability of alcohol is concerned, football fans are in for a treat during the World Cup in Qatar.

Although more news on this might come in the days to arrive, this is a fact that is certainly noteworthy about the upcoming FIFA event in the Middle East.

Suggested Read: Things To Avoid In Qatar: Tips and Advice For Travelers

New Hotels To Come In

We spoke about the FIFA World Cup and the fact that the event will be the most commutable ever. Qatar is a country that is located right at the center of the world. Hence, it is natural for the country to receive a high number of visitors during the competition. But hang on, the question that arises then is, where will so many fans be accommodated during the month-long event?

Here's a fact, Qatar is a country that considerably lacks the number of hotel rooms that will be required to accommodate the fans. While there is an obvious lack of accommodation options in the state, the challenge that remains in front of the country is to provide enough places to stay for the fans who would come in. So, how is Qatar planning to tackle the problem of accommodation? Well, here's a thing, the country is spending some serious money on preparations for the upcoming world cup and the various projects that are ongoing include the construction of various hotels in the state as well. As per an estimate, Qatar will add up enough hotel options for the fans by the time the event kicks off while there are a couple of innovative measures being taken for the fans. Here's what you should know about that -

• Floating hotels are something that not many travelers would be familiar with. But Qatar is planning to do exactly that. There are reports that suggest the country already had an agreement in place with a couple of cruise liners that would become floating hotels during the world cup. These cruise ships would be able to accommodate a large number of fans when the world cup kicks off which would certainly provide more accommodation space for the fans.
• Likewise, luxury desert tents have always been a center of attraction for travelers and Qatar is planning to make that accommodation option for travelers during the world cup. These tents would be fully air-conditioned and have all the amenities one would need for a comfortable stay. The government is already in talks with a number of organizations for the same and will be providing some accommodation options like this. So, for the fans coming and staying at the camps, every day and night would be like desert camping during the world cup. What more could you possibly ask for?

Suggested Read: Top 22 Hotels In Qatar To Experience The Best Of Arabian Hospitality

Most Expensive World Cup Ever

Now here's another interesting fact about the upcoming FIFA World Cup that makes it even more special. Qatar is believed to have spent a whopping $200 billion on infrastructure ahead of the world cup which easily makes it the most expensive world cup by far. The infrastructure projects include the construction of stadiums, hotels, roads, highways, and the setting up of lights around the country. This is going to be an event that football fans around the world are sure to enjoy.

FIFA World Cup 2022 To Be the Most Commutable World Cup Ever

Here's an interesting fact, Qatar is one of the smallest countries in the world, and traveling here from one place to another doesn't take too long. In fact, Qatar is about 1478 times smaller than the size of Russia, the host nation for the previous world cup. Moreover, the location of the country is so central that it is easily commutable from all around the world. Hence, FIFA Qatar 2022 will be the most commutable world ever.

Here's a little more example of the same.

• Two of the venues for the FIFA 2022, Al Bayt and Al Wakrah are located only 90 miles apart.
• The Education City Stadium, which is one of the venues for the world cup, is only 51 minutes away from Bahrain through a high-speed rail network.

The Role Of Doha Metro During The FIFA World Cup In Qatar

The Doha Metro is arguably one of the most talked-about projects in Qatar, and rightly so. Once the world cup kicks off, the Doha metro would be ferrying a staggering one million visitors during the competition. As believed by experts, the number may even be higher.

How To Buy FIFA Qatar 2022 Tickets?

Travelers planning to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 live in the stadiums would be able to purchase match tickets directly from the FIFA official website. Information regarding the venues, dates, and timings has already been communicated by FIFA on the official website while the tickets are expected to go on sale soon. Hence, travelers are advised to keep a check on the official website of FIFA for any further updates on the sale of tickets.

Probably the biggest sporting event in the entire history of world football, the FIFA World Cup 2022 is going to be a spectacle to watch out for. 32 teams, over a million football fans from around the world would gear up for a month-long carnival. As for the host nation, Qatar is leaving no stones unturned in making preparations for the biggest event of all.

So, are you a football fan wanting to cheer for your team During the upcoming FIFA World Cup? The winter of 2022 awaits you. Plan your trip, book your package to Qatar and come witness a footballing spectacle like no other in the heart of the Middle East.

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