What you need to know about FIFA World Cup 2022

The tournament will begin on November 20 with a Group A match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador.

The final will take place on Sunday, December 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Reuters

The final will take place on Sunday, December 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Here's what you need to know about the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Qatar:

When does World Cup 2022 start?

* This year's World Cup in Qatar will be held from November 20-December 18.

* The tournament will begin with a Group A match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador on November 20.

* The World Cup will start a day earlier than originally scheduled to ensure hosts Qatar play the opening match.

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Which teams are taking part?

The World Cup will feature 32 teams and will begin with a group stage, with teams divided into eight groups of four.

* Group A: Qatar (host), Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands

* Group B: England, Iran, United States, Wales

* Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

* Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia

* Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan

* Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

* Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

* Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

What are the venues?

* Games will take place at eight stadiums – Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Lusail Iconic Stadium, Stadium 974, Education City Stadium and Al Janoub Stadium.

* With 80,000 seats, Lusail Iconic Stadium is the largest of Qatar's eight World Cup stadiums.

* All the stadiums are located within 40 kilometres of central Doha.

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What is the schedule?

* There will be a round-robin format in the group stage when each of the 32 teams play three matches each. Teams will get three points for a win and one for a draw. The final group stage match will be played on December 2.

* The top two in each group advance to the last 16. The knockout rounds will begin on December 3 and will feature one-off matches, which can go to extra time and then penalties to decide the winner.

When is the final?

* The final will take place on Sunday, December 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

READ MORE: Qatar unveils 6,000-cabin football fan village ahead of World Cup

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