The 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled is the 22nd running from the FIFA World Cup 2022 competition, the quadrennial worldwide men’s football championship contested through the senior national groups of the member associations of FIFA. It's scheduled to occur in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022. This is the very first World Cup ever to become locked in the Arab world, and also the second World Cup held entirely in Asia following the 2002 tournament in Columbia and Japan.

Additionally, the tournament would be the last to involve 32 teams, having an increase to 48 teams scheduled for that 2026 tournament within the U . s . States, Mexico, and Canada. Because of Qatar’s intense summertime heat, our planet Cup is going to be held from late November to mid-December, which makes it the very first tournament to not take place in May, June, or This summer and also to occur within the northern fall it will likely be performed inside a reduced time-frame close to 29 days. The very first match performed in the tournament is going to be contested between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor. The ultimate is a result of taking place on 18 December 2022, which also is Qatar National Day. The reigning World Cup champions are France.

FIFA’s six continental confederations organize their particular qualifying competitions. All FIFA member associations, which you'll find presently 211, were qualified to get in qualification. Qatar, as host, qualified instantly for your tournament. However, the AFC obliged Qatar to possess fun playing within the Asian qualifying stage since the initial few models also behave as qualifications for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. Since Qatar showed up in the ultimate stage as winners inside their group, Lebanon, the fifth-best second-place team, advanced rather. The reigning World Cup champions France also experienced qualifying stages normally. Saint Lucia initially became a member of the qualification but withdrew from this before their first match. North Korea withdrew within the qualifying round due to safety concerns connected using the COVID-19 pandemic. American Samoa and Samoa both withdrew before the OFC draw. Tonga withdrew following a 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption and tsunami. Due to COVID-19 outbreaks inside their squads, Vanuatu and make preparations Islands also withdrew because of travel limitations.

From the 32 nations able to play within the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 24 countries competed in the last tournament in 2018. Qatar will be the only team making their debut within the FIFA World Cup, becoming the initial hosts to produce their tournament debut since Italia in 1934. Consequently, the 2022 tournament could be the first World Cup through which no teams that earned a location through qualification were making their debut. Holland, Ecuador, Ghana, Cameroon as well as the U.S returned for the tournament after missing the 2018 tournament. Canada returned after 36 years, their only prior appearance in 1986. Wales made their first in 64 years - accurate documentation gap for just about any European team, their only previous participation getting familiar with 1958.