2022 FIFA WC to begin on 21st Nov in Al Bayt Stadium, Qatar

Doha:The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 unveiled its match schedule with hosts kicking off the tournament at Al Bayt Stadium at 1300 hrs local time on November 21, 2022.

During the 12-day group stage, there will be four matches per day that are set for 1300 hrs, 1600 hrs, 1900 hrs and 2200 hrs local time except in the final round, which is unprecedented in the FIFA World Cup history.

Starting from December 3, the matches in knockout-stage will kick off at 1800 hrs and 2200 hrs. The play-off for third place on December 17 is set to kick off at Khalifa International Stadium at 1800 hrs, The final on Dec 18 will be held at 1800 hrs at the 80,000 Lusail Stadium, which will also host a semi-final. 

However, there may be still some changes. According to FIFA's website, the possibility that providing a more beneficial kick off time will be furtherly discussed after the group fixtures' final draw that currently being planned for after the March 2022 international match calendar qualifying window.

The Qatar 2022's compact nature, with no air travel needed to move between the venues, will allow organisers to optimise specific match demands for the benefit and comfort of fans, teams and media.(UNI)