FIFA has confirmed the match schedule for the 2022 World Cup, which will take place in Qatar from November to December.
The tournament will start on November 21, with Qatar kicking off the competition at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium at 13:00 local time (05:00 ET).
The final will take place at Lusail Stadium on December 18 at 18:00 local time (10:00 ET), while it has also been confirmed there will be four games per day during the group stage.
🚨 2022 #WORLDCUP MATCH SCHEDULE 🚨
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2020
🏆 It all starts in Qatar on Monday 21 November 2022 🌏
🗓️👉 https://t.co/tIvYvRoy5j pic.twitter.com/yQvgGczszK
With the group stage lasting 12 days, the final round of group fixtures will take place at 18:00 and 22:00 local time (10:00 and 14:00 ET), as will the knockout games.
FIFA has also announced the group-stage matches will only be allocated to a stadium following the draw for the finals, which is planned to take place after the March 2022 international match calendar qualifying window.
Once the draw has been made, FIFA will consider changing kick-off times to provide a more beneficial experience for audiences watching from around the globe.
Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), Hassan Al-Thawadi, said Qatar 2022 "will be the first global celebration where will collectively have overcome COVID and we'll collectively be able to celebrate this tournament and create a lasting bond.
"While I thought it was previously significant. I believe the significance has become even more."
