The clock is ticking for the biggest football tournament that is all set to happen in Qatar this year! Did you know that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ is happening in the Arab world for the first time?! How amazing is this?
The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team is here to tell you everything about it - let's get reading!
Please save this link, we will be updating this as and when we have more information!
The tournament will take place from 20 November to 18 December 2022 in Qatar. This is the first World Cup that will be played in the winter, with 32 teams participating.
The group stage matches are from 20 November to 2 December, while the quarter-finals will take place from 9 to 10 December. The semi-finals are due from 13-14 December, the third place is on 17 December, and the final on 18 December.
With the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ closing in, most qualified teams have already announced their official kits for the tournament. Made by well-known brands around the world, this World Cup will show not only the incredible football skills of players but also the great designs printed on their home or away jerseys.
RELATED: The 32 jerseys (kits) for the FIFA World Cup 2022
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ slogan is "Now is All™".
It stands for "when you live your dream, realise your destiny – and own the moment."
The emblem design resembles the traditional woollen shawl that men and women wear across the Arab world during winter. The World Cup is also taking place in winter. The typeface brings traditional Arabic calligraphy into dialogue with other global languages.
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8 venues are set to host the 64 matches. All 8 stadiums have a cooling technology designed to maintain an optimal temperature of approximately 26 degrees Celsius. It is an estimated 40% more sustainable and energy-efficient as compared to conventional cooling techniques.
The 8 stadiums are:
| Stadium Name | Capacity |
| Al Bayt Stadium | 60,000 |
| Khalifa International Stadium | 40,000 |
| Al Thumama Stadium | 40,000 |
| Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium | 40,000 |
| Lusail Stadium | 80,000 |
| Stadium 974 | 40,000 |
| Education City Stadium | 40,000 |
| Al Janoub Stadium | 40,000 |
The group phase will be played from 20 November to 2 December. The knockout phase will begin with the Round of 16 from 3-6 December.
The quarter-finals will be played on 9-10 December, and the semi-finals on 13 & 14 December. The play-off for third place will be on 17 December, one day before the final on 18 December.
RELATED: Click here for the full match calendar.
The opening match will be held at Al Bayt Stadium on 20 November between Qatar and Ecuador. Lusail Stadium will host the closing ceremony and final match on 18 December 2022.
Group A
Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal and Netherlands
Group B
England, IR Iran, USA and Wales
Group C
Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Group D
France, Australia, Denmark and Tunisia
Group E
Spain, Costa Rica, Germany and Japan
Group F
Belgium, Canada, Morocco and Croatia
Group G
Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon
Group H
Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and Korea Republic
According to FIFA, the Last Minute Sales Phase is currently open online and will run until the end of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ on 18 December. During this sales period, tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and ticket purchases are processed as a real-time transaction, subject to availability. All successfully purchased tickets will be confirmed immediately to the ticket applicants.
The FIFA Main Ticketing Centre has opened at the Doha Exhibition & Convention Center for those looking to buy tickets offline or require ticketing assistance. Another FIFA Ticketing Centre will open in Doha on a date and location to be announced by FIFA in due course.
After buying tickets, you need to apply for a Hayya Card, as it a mandatory requirement to be able to attend matches.
International fans entering Qatar for the tournament will also receive a separate entry permit along with their Hayya Card which will allow them to enter Qatar starting from 1 November 2022.
The entry permit will be a PDF document stating the entry and exit dates, along with personal details.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy has confirmed that the last date to enter Qatar with a Hayya entry permit will be 23 December 2022, and the last date to exit will be 23 January 2023.
The entry permit will be a requirement for international visitors regardless of purpose and will be the only means to enter from 1 November 2022 till 23 December 2022.
The regulation is also applicable to GCC nationals and GCC residents.
RELATED: Check here for a step-by-step guide on how to apply for Hayya Card
Once you have your match tickets ready and your Hayya card equipped, you should note that the FIFA Mobile Ticketing App and Hayya to Qatar App are equally important as you cannot watch your matches without the other.
Apart from these two apps, there are a number of apps that you should consider downloading to have a smooth-sailing experience around Qatar!
RELATED: Apps and websites for World Cup visitors
RELATED: How much does it cost to attend Qatar World Cup 2022?
There are various types of accommodation available for fans attending the matches. There are no limits to the number of nights match ticket holders can book. However, bookings should align with the match attendance dates. You are welcome to book accommodation via hotel/holiday websites or other means.
RELATED: How to book accommodation for World Cup Qatar 2022
Qatar has tied up with flydubai, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air, Saudia, Jazeera Airways, and Air Arabia to connect match ticket holders to Doha via Match Day Shuttle flights for 24-hour experiences during the tournament period. This will provide for the travel of 18,000 fans daily for the duration of the tournament without the need to stay in Doha.
RELATED: Your guide to the FIFA World Cup Qatar Match Day Shuttle flights
Ooredoo, the official Middle East & Africa Telecommunications Operator of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, announced that fans will be able to get a Hayya SIM card during their stay in Qatar. The sim card will benefit them with 2022 local minutes, 2022 local SMS, and 2022MB data, with the line valid for three days. The SIM card can also be topped up should you run out of minutes or data.
Regarding WiFi, Qatar has several free public WiFi services available in the airport, malls, shops, restaurants, cafes, and more that visitors can easily connect to!
RELATED: How to stay connected in Qatar [Internet & SIM card]
Qatar has a well-organized public transportation system. Getting to your destinations will be relatively easy, from the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram to the Karwa taxis in the country.
During the World Cup, the Hayya card, apart from being the entry permit to the country, will also allow fans to use public transportation for free!
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For the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the reimagined FIFA Fan Festival will be held at one central location at Al Bidda Park in Doha over the 29 days of the tournament (20 November – 18 December 2022). This go-to destination for fans on-site at Qatar 2022 will feature the following attractions:
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Looking for a cool souvenir to take home to your loved ones? You're lucky because Qatar has some unique merchandise you can purchase online or in-store! FIFA has provided official licensing for gaming chair, jewellery, bed sheets, chocolates, dates, flowers, and more!
Don't forget to visit ILoveQatar.net's Merch Store to find other cool officially licensed FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ merchandise you can purchase!
RELATED: Check out the unique Official Licensed Products of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™️
The figures are in USD:
In addition, each qualified team will receive USD 1.5 million ahead of the competition to cover preparation costs.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ has a multi-song Official Soundtrack. So far, the tracks released are Hayya Hayya (Better Together), featuring Trinidad Cardona, Davido and Aisha; Arhbo by Puerto Rican rapper Ozuna & French-raised Congolese rapper GIMS; and Light the Sky featuring the vocals of Emirati singer Balqees, Moroccan-Canadian sensation Nora Fatehi, Iraqi superstar Rahma Riad, and award-winning singer-songwriter Manal from Morocco.
The World Is Yours to Take was also recently released, a song American rapper 'Lil Baby' released for World Cup in collaboration with Budweiser.
RELATED: Listen to the official songs of the FIFA World Cup™ over the years
Qatar and FIFA have unveiled La’eeb as the Official Mascot for this year’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. La’eeb is an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player.
"He belongs to a parallel mascot-verse that is indescribable – everyone is invited to interpret what it looks like."
The Official Poster - Hayya to Qatar 2022™ - is displayed at the Hamad International Airport. People will have the chance to see the poster as they travel from and transit through Qatar.
The main poster represents traditional headwear thrown in the air, symbolising celebration and football fandom across Qatar and the Arab world.
FIFA has announced that semi-automated offside technology will be used at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ in Qatar starting on 20 November for all 64 matches, offering a support tool for the video match officials and the on-field officials to help them make faster, more accurate and more reproducible offside decisions on the biggest stage of all.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ will be the first tournament to witness the participation of female referees. The decision to select three female referees and three assistant referees by FIFA as part of the World Cup finals in Qatar indicates the development of women in football.
Source: Qatar 2022, FIFA
Originally written by Vrinda Abilash, Edited by Tracy Quirino
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