FIFA Announces Official Dates for World Cup 2022 in Qatar

As we all know,Qatar will be the host country for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Good news for those who are anticipating for this event: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced the official dates for the World Cup this coming 2022!

Considering the climate of Qatar, this will be the first time that the tournament will be held outside the summer season. Find out when these dates are!

Artistic rendition of one of the stadiums for World Cup 2022 in Qatar
Image Credit: Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup FB Page

Official Dates for World Cup 2022 in Qatar Revealed

According to Gulf Times, FIFA President Infantino announced on Friday during a press conference in Moscow the official dates for World Cup 2022, which will be held in Qatar. The tournament will begin on November 21 and continue until December 18, 2022.

Infantino said that football leagues around the world have already been informed of this decision, especially now that the new dates clash with the normal domestic schedules for some of the European club sides. “Of course, they will have to adapt their dates so they can fit in and dovetail with the World Cup,” he added.

Proposed logo and image for the 2022 World Cup
Image Credit: Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup FB Page

Infantino believes that the decision regarding the dates is the right decision because the months of November and December are the best times for players to get into tip-top shape for the World Cup. The video of the press meet with the FIFA president can be viewed on the official FIFA website.

However, he did not give any information on whether the first 48-team tournament would open in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup instead of the original plan, which is in 2026. He said that they would discuss it first with the Qataris, the FIFA Council and stakeholders, and then decide calmly on what the final decision is. “For the moment, we have a World Cup with 32 teams,” Infantino said.

The World Cup organizers in Qatar had said that they are open to a 48-team event in principle if FIFA desires. Nasser al-Khater, the Assistant Secretary-General at the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “I think it’s all in the format. If the format is done right, it could actually be an edition that is exciting.”

Notably, Infantino praised the organization of the ongoing World Cup in Russia and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology that was used in the tournament.

Artistic rendition of one of the stadiums for World Cup 2022 in Qatar
Image Credit: Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup FB Page

World Cup 2022: A “Dream World Cup”
Meanwhile, Velibor “Bora” Milutinović, a Serbian football coach and former player, is optimistic for the 2022 tournament, stressing that Qatar will host a “dream World Cup.” 

Milutinovic has coached five different national teams at World Cups and eight national teams all in all, and is now a member of the technical studies group of football’s world governing body, FIFA. He reasoned, “It’s [Qatar] a small country and in one day you can watch two matches. This is extraordinary; you don’t have to travel long distances.”

For more updates on World Cup 2022, you can visit the official FIFA website at https://www.fifa.com. Meanwhile, here is a sneak peek into how Qatar is preparing for the upcoming World Cup. It’s gonna be exciting!