The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is now quickly approaching, with the first-ever winter edition of the tournament getting underway in November.
A total of 32 teams, initially split into eight groups of four, will compete for the prestigious trophy in a tournament that will soon be expanded, with 48 teams set to qualify for the 2026 edition, set to be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
England come into the tournament looking to go one step further, after agonisingly falling to a penalty shootout defeat to Italy, at Wembley Stadium, in the Euro 2020 final in the summer 2021.
The World Cup in Qatar, which runs from November 20 to December 18, is swiftly approaching
Holders France are bidding for back-to-back triumphs after winning four years ago in Russia
The Three Lions will get their campaign underway against Iran on November 21, the second day of the tournament.
Meanwhile, holders France are among the favourites, alongside Brazil, following their triumph in Russia four years ago. It’s exactly 60 years since a nation last won successive World Cups, being Brazil in 1962.
And with the World Cup getting closer by the day, Sportsmail takes you through the groups, fixtures and TV schedule.
World Cup groups
As stated, eight groups of four teams will compete for a place in the knockout stages.
Gareth Southgate’s England were handed a favourable group, with Iran and USA two nations they will be expected to comfortably beat, while Wales will also be underdogs against the Three Lions.
Gareth Southgate’s England were drawn a favourable group alongside Iran, USA and Wales
England will soon face stern competition providing they get through the group, however with a potential run of Senegal, France and Belgium en route to the final.
Group E is deemed the ‘Group of Death’ at this winter’s tournament, with Spain and Germany drawn into an enticing quartet.
- Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
- Group B: England, Iran, USA, 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
Venues
The 64 games at this winter’s World Cup will be split between just eight venues – the fewest since the 16-team 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
While you’d think that might be a logistical headache for the fans in attendance, all eight stadia are situated within a 21-mile radius of central Doha, with a metro and tram system providing swift transport to each.
Even with the tournament moved to the winter to compensate for Qatar’s searing heat, each venue will be equipped with cooling systems, with some even possessing outdoor air-conditioning.
The Lusail Stadium is the showpiece venue that will host the opening fixture and the final
The 80,000-seater stadium only opened earlier this year, very much behind schedule
The Lusail Stadium will be the showpiece venue for the tournament, hosting the opening fixture, the final and a number of key matches throughout.
The stadium opened only this year, and at the end of the tournament most of the seats will be removed and donated to developing countries.
Below is a full list of the venues:
- Lusail Stadium
- Al Janoub Stadium
- Al Bayt Stadium
- Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
- Education City Stadium
- Al Thumama Stadium
- Stadium 974
- Khalifa International Stadium
How to watch the matches
All 64 matches will be available to watch on free-to-air television in the UK, with the matches split between ITV and BBC.
The TV schedule has already been announced, outlined below, though only for the group stages, with the knockouts yet to be confirmed.
Fans will be able to stream the matches via BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub.
All 64 games at the World Cup will be shown live on either BBC or ITV in the United Kingdom
Sportsmail will also be covering each and every game live, so you can follow along with us.
As for the United States, all 64 matches will be shown live on either Fox or FS1. Thirty-five of the matches will be shown on Fox, with the remaining 29 on FS1.
*TV schedule for knockout rounds not yet confirmed.
Full fixture and TV schedule
*All times in GMT
Sunday November 20
Group A: Qatar v Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium) at 4pm on BBC
Monday November 21
- Group B: England vs Iran (Khalifa International Stadium) at 1pm on BBC
- Group A: Senegal vs Netherlands (Al Thumama Stadium) at 4pm on ITV
- Group B: USA vs Wales (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium) at 7pm on ITV
Tuesday November 22
- Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 10am on ITV
- Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia (Education City Stadium) at 1pm on ITV
- Group C: Mexico vs Poland (Stadium 974) at 4pm on BBC
- Group D: France vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium) at 7pm on BBC
Wednesday November 23
- Group F: Morocco vs Croatia (Al Bayt Stadium) at 10am on ITV
- Group E: Germany vs Japan (Khalifa International Stadium) at 1pm on ITV
- Group E: Spain vs Costa Rica (Al Thumama Stadium) at 4pm on ITV
- Group F: Belgium vs Canada (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium) at 7pm on BBC
Thursday November 24
- Group G: Switzerland vs Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium) at 10am on ITV
- Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea (Education City Stadium) at 1pm on BBC
- Group H: Portugal vs Ghana (Stadium 974) at 4pm on ITV
- Group G: Brazil vs Serbia (Lusail Iconic Stadium), at 7pm on BBC
Friday November 25
- Group B: Wales vs Iran (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium) at 10am on BBC
- Group A: Qatar vs Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium) at 1pm on BBC
- Group A: Netherlands vs Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium) at 4pm on ITV
- Group B: England vs USA (Al Bayt Stadium) at 7pm on ITV
Saturday November 26
- Group C: Tunisia vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium) at 10am on BBC
- Group C: Poland vs Saudi Arabia (Education City Stadium) at 1pm on ITV
- Group D: France vs Denmark (Stadium 974) at 4pm on ITV
- Group C: Argentina vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 7pm on ITV
Sunday November 27
- Group E: Japan vs Costa Rica (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium) at 10am on ITV
- Group F: Belgium vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium) at 1pm on BBC
- Group F: Croatia vs Canada (Khalifa International Stadium) at 4pm on BBC
- Group E: Spain vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium) at 7pm on BBC
Monday November 28
- Group G: Cameroon vs Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium) at 10am on ITV
- Group G: South Korea vs Ghana (Education City Stadium) at 1pm on BBC
- Group H: Brazil vs Switzerland (Stadium 974) at 4pm on ITV
- Group H: Portugal vs Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 7pm on ITV
Tuesday November 29
- Group A: Netherlands vs Qatar (Al Bayt Stadium) at 3pm on ITV
- Group A: Ecuador vs Senegal (Khalifa International Stadium) at 3pm on ITV
- Group B: Wales vs England (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium) at 7pm on BBC
- Group B: Iran vs USA (Al Thumama Stadium) at 7pm on BBC
Wednesday November 30
- Group D: Australia vs Denmark (Al Janoub Stadium) at 3pm on BBC
- Group D: Tunisia vs France (Education City Stadium) at 3pm on BBC
- Group C: Poland vs Argentina (Stadium 974) at 7pm on BBC
- Group C: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 7pm on BBC
Thursday December 1
- Group F: Croatia vs Belgium (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium) at 3pm on BBC
- Group F: Canada vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium) at 3pm) on BBC
- Group E: Costa Rica vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium) at 7pm on ITV
- Group E: Japan vs Spain (Khalifa International Stadium) at 7pm on ITV
Friday, December 2
- Group G: South Korea vs Portugal (Education City Stadium) at 3pm on BBC
- Group G: Ghana vs Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium) at 3pm on BBC
- Group H: Serbia vs Switzerland (Stadium 974) at 7pm on ITV
- Group H: Cameroon vs Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 7pm on ITV
*knockout matches yet to be announced
Round of 16
Saturday December 3
- Group A winners vs Group B Runners-up (Khalifa International Stadium) at 3pm (game 49)
- Group C winners vs Group D Runners-up (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium at 7pm (game 50)
Sunday December 4
- Group D winners vs Group C Runners-up (Al Thumama Stadium) at 3pm (game 51)
- Group B winners vs Group A Runners-up (Al Bayt Stadium) at 7pm (game 52)
Monday December 5
- Group E winners vs Group F Runners-up (Al Janoub Stadium) at 3pm (game 53)
- Group G winners vs Group H Runners-up (Stadium 974) at 7pm (game 54)
Tuesday December 6
- Group F winners vs Group E Runners-up (Education City Stadium) at 3pm (game 55)
- Group H winners vs Group G Runners-up (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 7pm (game 56)
Quarter-finals
Friday December 9
- Winners of game 53 vs Winners of game 54 (Education City Stadium) at 3pm (game 58)
- Winners of game 49 vs Winners of game 50 (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 7pm (game 57)
Saturday December 10
- Winners of game 55 vs Winners of game 56 (Al Thumama Stadium) at 3pm (game 60)
- Winners of game 51 vs Winners of game 52 (Al Bayt Stadium) at 7pm (game 59)
Semi-finals
Tuesday December 13
- Winners of game 57 vs Winners of game 58 (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 7pm
Wednesday December 14
- Winners of game 59 vs Winners of game 60 (Al Bayt Stadium) at 7pm
Saturday December 17
- Third place play-off (Khalifa International Stadium) at 3pm
Final
Sunday December 18
- World Cup final (Lusail Iconic Stadium) at 3pm
