Last Updated on June 17, 2022 by Cody Livingston
The stadiums are ready, the draw is complete, and the schedule is out. The FIFA World Cup 2022 will be like no other. There were 3 out 32 slots empty in an unprecedented draw held on 1st April 2022. However, the tournament organisers followed the schedule and completed the draw on the scheduled date.
The draw is not all, many unusual activities are happening for the first time at this mega event since the inception of the football World Cup back in 1930. Firstly, Qatar becomes the first Arab world nation to host the world cup. This tournament will also be the first World Cup held in November and December. Also, the stadiums are equipped with climate-controlling technology features to counter the Qatari heat.
The football fans eagerly wait for November to see their favourite teams compete for the bragging rights of being called the World Champions. While there is still some time to kill, you can read all the vital information so far. From the World Cup 2022 finals draw to the stadiums and schedule, this guide is the only thing you need to know about what happens next.
Final Draw
The group stage draw for the World Cup 2022 finals was on 1st April 2022 in Doha. Twenty-nine teams were drawn into 8 groups as per their rankings. After the draw, there were three spots left. These spots were filled after the final qualifier play-offs were held in June 2022. Out of eight teams competing for the spot in the mega event, Wales, Australia, and Costa Rica qualified. Here is the final draw of FIFA WC 2022 Qatar.
| Group A | Qatar (Host) | Ecuador | Netherlands | Senegal |
| Group B | England | Iran | USA | Wales |
| Group C | Argentina | Mexico | Poland | Saudi Arabia |
| Group D | France (Champion) | Denmark | Tunisia | Australia |
| Group E | Spain | Germany | Japan | Costa Rica |
| Group F | Belgium | Canada | Croatia | Morocco |
| Group G | Brazil | Cameroon | Serbia | Switzerland |
| Group H | Portugal | Ghana | South Korea | Uruguay |
The top two teams from each group will proceed into the Round-16.
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FIFA World Cup 2022 Stadiums
Qatar constructed 7 new stadiums for the tournament while one underwent extensive renovation to gear up to host the FIFA World Cup 2022. All the stadiums are less than an hour from the capital city of Doha. A total of 8 venues will host 64 matches of the World Cup 2022 finals in Qatar.
1 – Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa International Stadium is the most iconic arena in Qatar that has been around since 1976. It is the only stadium not built from scratch. The stadium reopened in 2017 after the renovation. It is located in the capital city of Doha and is easily accessible.
Capacity: 40,000
Group stage matches: 6; Round-16 matches: 1, and a Third-place match.
| Date | Match |
| 21 November 2022 | England vs. Iran |
| 23 November 2022 | Germany vs Japan |
| 25 November 2022 | Netherlands vs Ecuador |
| 27 November 2022 | Croatia vs Canada |
| 29 November 2022 | Ecuador vs Senegal |
| 1 December 2022 | Japan vs Spain |
| 3 December 2022 | 1A vs 2B (Round-16) |
| 17 December 2022 | Loser SF-1 vs Loser SF-2 (Third-place Match) |
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2 – Al Bayt Stadium
Located 60 km from Doha, Al Bayt Stadium is the farthest stadium from the capital Doha. Fans can reach the stadium by road with taxis and buses. The stadium is designed in the shape of a tent used by the Bedouin people, a nomadic group living across the Arab for centuries.
Capacity: 60,000
Group stage matches: 6; Round-16 matches: 1; Quarter-final matches: 1; and a Semi-final match.
| Date | Match |
| 21 November 2022 | Qatar vs Ecuador |
| 23 November 2022 | Morocco vs Croatia |
| 25 November 2022 | England vs USA |
| 27 November 2022 | Spain vs Germany |
| 29 November 2022 | Netherlands vs Qatar |
| 1 December 2022 | Costa Rica vs Germany |
| 4 December 2022 | 1B vs 2A (Round-16) |
| 10 December 2022 | 1B/2A vs 1D/2C (QF-3) |
| 14 December 2022 | Winner QF-3 vs Winner QF-4 (Semi-Final 2) |
3 – Al Thumama Stadium
The design of this stadium was inspired by the Ghafiya, the traditional woven cap worn by Arab males. Al Thumama Stadium is connected with central Doha by a purpose-built metro line to help fans reach the venue without much trouble.
Capacity: 40,000
Group stage matches: 6; Round-16 matches: 1; and a Quarter-final match.
| Date | Match |
| 21 November 2022 | Senegal vs Netherlands |
| 21 November 2022 | Spain vs Costa Rica |
| 21 November 2022 | Qatar vs Senegal |
| 21 November 2022 | Belgium vs Morocco |
| 21 November 2022 | Iran vs USA |
| 1 December 2022 | Canada vs Morocco |
| 4 December 2022 | 1D vs 2C (Round-16) |
| 10 December 2022 | 1F/2E vs 1H/2G (QF-4) |
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4 – Al-Rayyan Stadium
Al-Rayyan Stadium was built on the site of the old Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in one of Qatar’s historic cities of Al Rayyan. The stadium sits on the edge of the desert and allows visitors to get a glimpse of Qatar’s deep cultural roots. Located just a few kilometres from Doha, it is one of the easily accessible stadiums outside Doha.
Capacity: 40,000
Group stage matches: 6; and a Round-16 match.
| Date | Match |
| 21 November 2022 | USA vs Wales |
| 23 November 2022 | Belgium vs Canada |
| 25 November 2022 | Wales vs Iran |
| 27 November 2022 | Japan vs Costa Rica |
| 29 November 2022 | Wales vs England |
| 1 December 2022 | Croatia vs Belgium |
| 3 December 2022 | 1C vs 2D (Round-16) |
5 – Al Janou Stadium
Located 20 kilometres from Doha, Al Janou Stadium is connected to Doha by a purpose-built metro line for the benefit of the fans. The stadium is built using the traditional materials and timber of the Arabian Peninsula.
Capacity: 40,000
Group stage matches: 6; and a Round-16 matches.
| Date | Match |
| 22 November 2022 | France vs Australia |
| 24 November 2022 | Switzerland vs Cameroon |
| 26 November 2022 | Tunisia vs Australia |
| 28 November 2022 | Cameroon vs Serbia |
| 30 November 2022 | Australia vs Denmark |
| 2 December 2022 | Ghana vs Uruguay |
| 5 December 2022 | 1E vs 2F (Round-16) |
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6 – Stadium 974
Located in Ras Abu Aboud, Doha, on the shores of the Gulf, Stadium 974 is constructed from shipping containers and other recycled materials with the intent to dismantle the stadium after the World Cup 2022 finals. Fans can reach this waterside stadium by taking a short metro ride from downtown Doha.
Capacity: 40,000
Group stage matches: 6; and a Round-16 match.
| Date | Match |
| 22 November 2022 | Mexico vs Poland |
| 24 November 2022 | Portugal vs Ghana |
| 26 November 2022 | France vs Denmark |
| 28 November 2022 | Brazil vs Switzerland |
| 30 November 2022 | Poland vs Argentina |
| 2 December 2022 | Serbia vs Switzerland |
| 5 December 2022 | 1G vs 2H (Round-16) |
7 – Education City Stadium
The stadium is named after its location within the Qatar Foundation’s Education City. The arena is designed as a jagged diamond that will glitter by day and glow by night. Located just 7 kilometres from downtown Doha, fans will find easy access to the stadium by road or metro.
Capacity: 40,000
Group stage matches: 6; Round-16 matches: 1; and a Quarter-final match.
| Date | Match |
| 22 November 2022 | Denmark vs Tunisia |
| 24 November 2022 | Uruguay vs South Korea |
| 26 November 2022 | Poland vs Saudi Arabia |
| 28 November 2022 | South Korea vs Ghana |
| 30 November 2022 | Tunisia vs France |
| 2 December 2022 | South Korea vs Portugal |
| 6 December 2022 | 1F vs 2E (Round-16) |
| 9 December 2022 | 1E/2F vs 1G/2H (QF-2) |
8 – Lusail Iconic Stadium
Lusail Iconic Stadium is a part of a planned Lusail city, constructed specially for the FIFA World Cup 2022. The city houses a wide array of facilities to cater to fans’ needs. Also, the stadium is well served by a direct metro from Doha, making it easy for fans to commute. The stadium will host the opening game and the final of the event.
Capacity: 86,000
Group stage matches: 6; Round-16 matches: 1; Quarter-final matches: 1, a Semi-final match, and the Final.
| Date | Match |
| 22 November 2022 | Argentina vs Saudi Arabia |
| 24 November 2022 | Brazil vs Serbia |
| 26 November 2022 | Argentina vs Mexico |
| 28 November 2022 | Portugal vs Uruguay |
| 30 November 2022 | Saudi Arabia vs Mexico |
| 2 December 2022 | Cameroon vs Brazil |
| 6 December 2022 | 1H vs 2G (Round-16) |
| 9 December 2022 | 1A/2B vs 1C/2D (QF-1) |
| 13 December 2022 | Winner QF-1 vs Winner QF-2 (Semi-Final-1) |
| 18 December 2022 | Winner SF-1 vs Winner SF-2 (The Final) |
Many international and domestic football matches are on the calendar between now and the start of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in November. The UEFA Nations League will resume in September, with several friendly matches during the international break. The domestic leagues in some countries have already started. While in Europe, the domestic leagues will start a week early in August 2022. All the domestic competitions will halt a week or two before the World Cup 2022 gets underway.
Usually, we would see teams play one or two warm-up matches in the build-up to the World Cup finals, but with the unusual timing of the event, the chances of those are slim. Football fans all over the globe are praying for the mega event to go ahead as planned without any delays. They are all set for the action-packed football season of 2022.
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