2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations, and the 22nd FIFA World Cup. The event is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022. This is the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world, and the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.[A] France are the defending champions, having defeated Croatia 4–2 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.
This tournament is the last with 32 participating teams, as the field will increase to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament. Matches at the event will be played in eight venues across five cities. Because of Qatar's intense summer heat and humidity,[1][2] this World Cup is being held during November and December.[B][3] It will be played in a reduced timeframe of 29 days. The opening match was between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor. In their first ever World Cup appearance, Qatar lost 2–0, becoming the first host nation to lose their opening game.[4] The final will be held on 18 December 2022.
The choice to host the World Cup in Qatar has been the source of criticism, especially in the Western world.[5] Criticism focused on Qatar's human rights record, including their treatment of migrant workers and women and position on LGBT rights, leading to allegations of sportswashing.[5][6][7] Others have said Qatar's intense climate and lack of a strong football culture is evidence of bribery for hosting rights and wider FIFA corruption.[6][7] Boycotts of the event are planned by several countries, clubs and individual players, and former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has twice said that giving Qatar hosting rights was a "mistake".[8][9] Current FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has defended the hosting.[10] The controversy was described as a cultural clash between the tenets of Islamic morality and norms of secular Western liberal democracies.[6][7] Others noted it as representative of declining Western influence in association football and geopolitics.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international association football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations, and the 22nd FIFA World Cup. The event is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022. This is the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world, and the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.[A] France are the defending champions, having defeated Croatia 4–2 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.
This tournament is the last with 32 participating teams, as the field will increase to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament. Matches at the event will be played in eight venues across five cities. Because of Qatar's intense summer heat and humidity,[1][2] this World Cup is being held during November and December.[B][3] It will be played in a reduced timeframe of 29 days. The opening match was between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor. In their first ever World Cup appearance, Qatar lost 2–0, becoming the first host nation to lose their opening game.[4] The final will be held on 18 December 2022.
The choice to host the World Cup in Qatar has been the source of criticism, especially in the Western world.[5] Criticism focused on Qatar's human rights record, including their treatment of migrant workers and women and position on LGBT rights, leading to allegations of sportswashing.[5][6][7] Others have said Qatar's intense climate and lack of a strong football culture is evidence of bribery for hosting rights and wider FIFA corruption.[6][7] Boycotts of the event are planned by several countries, clubs and individual players, and former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has twice said that giving Qatar hosting rights was a "mistake".[8][9] Current FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has defended the hosting.[10] The controversy was described as a cultural clash between the tenets of Islamic morality and norms of secular Western liberal democracies.[6][7] Others noted it as representative of declining Western influence in association football and geopolitics.[5][11]
