The schedule for the first ever FIFA World Cup to be hosted in the Middle East has been anounced by FIFA, with the opening game of the competition held on November 21, 2022, at the Al Bayt Stadium in Doha.
According to the schedule, the entirity of the Group Stage will be played over a 12-day period with up to four games played per day. The kick-off times will be 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 10pm local time, with the slots assigned allowing for the consideration of TV viewing times for the countries participating.
With qualification for the 2022 World Cup yet to be played, the countries involved are still to be determined.
Due to the size of Qatar, all of the stadiums are within a 40-mile radius of each other, therefore it will enable supporters and media to realistically attend two games on the same day.
The 2022 final venue is the Lusail Stadium in Doha, with the showpiece game to be played on Sunday, December 18.
Esquire now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit ‘Like’ on our Esquire Facebook page and ‘Follow’ on our @esquiremiddleeast Instagram and Twitter account.