Qatar World Cup 2022: Match dates, kick-off times and how to watch
The Qatar World Cup kicks off on 20 November with 32 teams competing for football's most prestigious trophy.
Four years after France was crowned world champion, England is hoping to erase 56 years of hurt while Argentina, Brazil, Germany, and Senegal are aiming to turn a new page of footballing history.
Qatar will be the first Middle East and North African nation to host the prestigious event and will be joined by regional nations Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tunisia, and Morocco.
The best performance for a Middle Eastern country came in the 2002 World Cup with Turkey's semi-final run - but that comes with the caveat that the Turks play in Uefa tournaments, so are considered a European side.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
The Qataris have never qualified for a World Cup before, but are the current Asian champions so will be expected to put up a good appearance in front of their own fans when they take on Ecuador on 20 November.
Iran will be in action on the second day as they launch their campaign against England. Group rivals the United States will meet Wales in the day's late fixture.
Tunisia will open their campaign against Denmark on 21 November, and defending champions France will be in action later in the day.
Favourites Brazil do not play until 24 November when they meet Serbia.
Brazil enter the tournament as the most successful nation in World Cup history with five titles, and they have a manageable group to navigate, while France expected to finish top in their group and have a good chance to build up a head of steam into the knockout rounds.
Check out World Cup kickoff times, where to watch the matches and the fixtures.
Kickoff times:
|
Stage(s) |
Local (Qatar) |
UK (GMT) |
US & Canada (ET) |
India (IST) |
Australia |
|
Group stage only |
1:00 pm |
10:00 am |
5:00 am |
3:30 pm |
9:00 pm |
|
Group stage only |
4:00 pm |
1:00 pm |
8:00 am |
6:30 pm |
12:00 am |
|
Knockouts only |
6:00 pm |
3:00 pm |
10:00 am |
8:30 pm |
2:00 am |
|
Group stage only |
7:00 pm |
4:00 pm |
11:00 am |
9:30 pm |
3:00 am |
|
Group/Knockouts |
10:00 pm |
7:00 pm |
2:00 pm |
12:30 am |
6:00 am |
How and where to watch:
Middle East and North Africa: BeIn Sports
United Kingdom: BBC and ITV
United States: Fox - Telemundo
India: Viacom18
Australia: SBS
Group stage fixtures:
Sunday, 20 November
Group A
Qatar v Ecuador - Al Bayt Stadium (7:00 pm local time)
Monday, 21 November
Group A
Senegal v Netherlands - Al Thumama Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
Group B
England v Iran - Khalifa International Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
USA v Wales - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Tuesday, 22 November
Group C
Argentina v Saudi Arabia - Lusail Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
Mexico v Poland — Stadium 974 (7:00 pm local time)
Group D
Denmark v Tunisia - Education City Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
France v Australia - Al Janoub Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Wednesday, 23 November
Group E
Germany v Japan - Khalifa International Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
Spain v Costa Rica - Al Thumama Stadium (7:00 pm local time)
Group F
Morocco v Croatia - Al Bayt Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
Belgium v Canada - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, (10:00 pm local time)
Thursday, 24 November
Group G
Switzerland v Cameroon - Al Janoub Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
Brazil v Serbia - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Group H
Uruguay v South Korea - Education City Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
Portugal v Ghana - Stadium 974 (7:00 pm local time)
Friday, 25 November
Group A
Qatar v Senegal - Al Thumama Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
Netherlands v Ecuador - Khalifa International Stadium (7:00 pm local time)
Group B
Wales v Iran - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
England v USA - Al Bayt Stadium, (10:00 pm local time)
Saturday, 26 November
Group C
Poland v Saudi Arabia - Education City Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
Argentina v Mexico - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Group D
Tunisia v Australia - Al Janoub Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
France v Denmark - Stadium 974 (7:00 pm local time)
Sunday, 27 November
Group E
Japan v Costa Rica - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
Spain v Germany - Al Bayt Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Group F
Belgium v Morocco - Al Thumama Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
Croatia v Canada - Khalifa International Stadium (7:00 pm local time)
Monday, 28 November
Group G
Cameroon v Serbia - Al Janoub Stadium (1:00 pm local time)
Brazil v Switzerland - Stadium 974 (7:00 pm local time)
Group H
South Korea v Ghana - Education City Stadium (4:00 pm local time)
Portugal v Uruguay - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Tuesday, 29 November
Group A
Netherlands v Qatar - Al Bayt Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Ecuador v Senegal - Khalifa International Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Group B
Iran v USA - Al Thumama Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Wales v England - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Wednesday, 30 November
Group C
Poland v Argentina - Stadium 974 (10:00 pm local time)
Saudi Arabia v Mexico - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Group D
Australia v Denmark - Al Janoub Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Tunisia v France - Education City Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Thursday, 1 December
Group E
Japan v Spain - Khalifa International Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Costa Rica v Germany - Al Bayt Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Group F
Croatia v Belgium - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Canada v Morocco - Al Thumama Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Friday, 2 December
Group G
Serbia v Switzerland - Stadium 974 (10:00 pm local time)
Cameroon v Brazil - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Group H
Ghana v Uruguay - Al Janoub Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
South Korea v Portugal - Education City Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Round of 16
Saturday, 3 December
Match 49 - Group A winner v Group B runner-up - Khalifa International Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Match 50 - Group C winner v Group D runner-up - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Sunday, 4 December
Match 51 - Group B winner v Group A runner-up - Al Bayt Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Match 52 - Group D winner v Group C runner-up - Al Thumama Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Monday, 5 December
Match 53 - Group E winner v Group F runner-up - Al Janoub Stadium, (6:00 pm local time)
Match 54 - Group G winner v Group H runner-up - Stadium 947, (10:00 pm local time)
Tuesday, 6 December
Match 55 - Group F winner v Group E runner-up - Education City Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Match 56 - Group H winner v Group G runner-up - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Quarter-finals
Friday, 9 December
Match 57 - Match 49 winner v Match 50 winner - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Match 58 - Match 53 winner v Match 54 winner - Education City Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Saturday, 10 December
Match 59 - Match 51 winner v Match 52 winner - Al Bayt Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Match 60 - Match 55 winner v Match 56 winner - Al Thumama Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Semi-finals
Tuesday, 13 December
Match 61 - Match 57 winner v Match 58 winner - Lusail Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Wednesday, 14 December
Match 62 - Match 59 winner v Match 60 winner - Al Bayt Stadium (10:00 pm local time)
Third-place play-off
Saturday, 17 December
Match 63 - Khalifa International Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
World Cup Final
Sunday, 18 December
Match 64 - Lusail Stadium (6:00 pm local time)
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
