This will be the World Cup in Qatar 2022

Last update 22 December, 2021 por Alberto Llopis

One year to go la Copa del Mundo de Qatar 2022, the most important football competition. The tournament that paralyzes the planet. What makes what, for a month, in every corner of each of the participating countries only one thing is talked about, of the beautiful sport.

Qatar 2022, the most controversial designation

Qatar will host the World Cup 2022, which for the first time will be played in a country in the Middle East. The Persian Gulf Country was chosen the 2 from December to 2010 in the middle of a great controversy. Your appointment, like the one in russia, was under suspicion until the magazine “France Football” published a report that evidenced a buying of votes in his election. A scandal known as "Qatargate" that caused a cleaning in the FIFA board.

Sin embargo, the controversy had no repercussions on the organization of the World Cup, Whatever happens will be celebrated in the Arab country.

Change in the traditional calendar

El Mundial de 2022 It will not be played in the months of June and July as we are used to. The intense heat of Qatar forced FIFA to modify the calendar of the next World Cup, which will finally be disputed 21 November to 18 from December. Thus becoming the first edition of the championship to be held in the fall corresponding to the northern hemisphere.

Something that, sin duda, will pose a problem for federations and their leagues, they will have to stop the competition for more than a month in the middle of the season.

Qatar World Cup format and teams 2022

The competition format will be the same as that of Russia 2018. A total of 32 selections divided into 8 groups. Sin embargo, Qatar's will be the last World Cup with this system before expanding to 48 participants, already facing 2026.

FIFA scheduled the group stage draw for the 31 de marzo de 2022, based in Doha, Qatar, Therefore, so far only the quotas of the participants by confederations and the qualifying rounds are known., that were raffled in July 2019. And although the one that always had a guaranteed place was the Qatari team, who will debut in a World Cup as a host, The Executive Committee continues with the current distribution of the places that classified teams are already envisioning:

• Host (1): Qatar
• UEFA (13), already classified: Germany, Bélgica, Francia, Croacia, Dinamarca, Inglaterra, Swiss, Serbia, España, Holanda. Portugal go to playoffs, Italia, Suecia, Escocia, Austria, North macedonia, Polonia, Rusia, República Checa, Turquía, Gales, Ukraine and Scotland.
• Conmebol (4.5), already classified: Brazil and Argentina.
• Concacaf (3.5)
• CAF (Africa): 5
• AFC (Asia): 4.5
• OFC (Oceania): 0.5

A luxurious environment

But if something must be highlighted in Qatar's candidacy for the World Cup, it is its petrodollars, to be invested in impressive stadiums and infrastructure. At the moment the organization has only confirmed 8 stadiums, although they could be 12 en 2022.

• Lusail National Stadium (Lucail)- Aforo: 86.250 spectators.
• City of Education Stadium (Al-Rayyan)- Aforo: 43.350 spectators.
• Estadio Internacional Khalifa (Doha)- Aforo: 50 thousand spectators.
• Estadio Al Bayt (Jor) – Aforo: 60 thousand spectators.
• Al Thumama Stadium (Doha) Aforo- 40 thousand spectators.
• Al-Rayyan Stadium (Rayyan) Aforo- 21thousand spectators.
• Estadio Ras Abu Aboud (Doha) Aforo – 48 thousand spectators.
• Estadio Al Janoub (Al Wakrah) Aforo – 40 thousand spectators

*The capacity is approximate

Sin embargo, so much sumptuousness has taken its toll, since the organization had to get around Amnesty International's complaints about the exploitation to which they subjected their workers. One more stain for a World Cup in which there will be no alcohol in the stadiums. In fact, In the country the consumption of alcoholic substances is prohibited except in authorized places. But the World Cup seems to be an exception. And it is that they plan to enable several areas for their consumption.

Where and when

The group stage is scheduled to take place from 21 November to 2 December at Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Al Rayyan Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, Education City Stadium y Al Janoub Stadium.

The round of 16 will take place between 3 de diciembre y el 6 the same month, a match will also be played in each of the venues chosen to host the World Cup.

While the quarterfinals are scheduled to take place on 9 y 10 from December, with Al Bayt Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Lusail Stadium and Education Stadium as the home of these exciting and definitive encounters.

For your part, the semifinals are scheduled on 13 y 14 from December, with Al Bayt Stadium and Lusail Stadium as venues.

Y, by last, the final will be on Sunday 18 December at Lusail Stadium, defining the team that will replace France as champion of the prestigious competition. Sin duda, the most important match of the tournament, what was scheduled for this day 18 since it is Qatar National Day.

Regarding the schedules, all tournament host cities have the same zone: GMT+3 . That is, there are six more hours with reference to the time of Argentina, seven hours more than in Santiago (Chile), eight more than in Colombia, nine hours more compared to Mexico City and one more than in Spain. The meetings will be televised by some of the most important networks. So far who have the transmission rights are Fox Sports, Telemundo Sports, BBC, ITV, Globo, SportTV y beIN Sports.

But if what you want is to be able to experience this exciting competition in person, during your bid to host the tournament, the Qatar Organizing Committee offered about 2 millions 869 thousand tickets, of which between a 5 y 8 percent will go to sponsors and other partners that support the World Cup..

Between defenders and detractors

He Mundial de Qatar 2022 has many skeptics, but also with a lot of support and if there is something that the richest country in the world has been concerned about, it is paying luxury ambassadors to promote their World Cup and their country.: Guardiola, Zidane o Xavi Hernández are some clear examples.

A championship that can mark a before and after in football. Sin duda, the cup of opulence, with futuristic stadiums and world-class environments never seen before, that despite its controversial designation it will be more than surprising.