Here’s what to know About The FIFA World Cup 2022 In Qatar

The group stage ends Dec. 2 and the round-of-16 plays begin the next day. The quarterfinals will begin on December 9th, and the semifinals will be held on December 13.

[{"selector":"#anim-71d30a0d-a2fc-4dbc-bfdd-5220b9adba6e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-529b446d-2d7f-4944-844c-cfd3ea17e083","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.23777%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

To avoid the intense summer heat of the Middle Eastern country, which can reach up to 95 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit in some places

[{"selector":"#anim-663dbb31-777f-411f-bc65-9bde9adfdeeb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df0c95b7-ad5f-4945-97c5-eebad3ee44c5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.41244%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

While the 2022 World Cup includes 32 nations, it will include 48 teams when Canada and Mexico host the 2026 tournament.

[{"selector":"#anim-d4054ef8-4793-4755-91da-c9a9faa86c74","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9032ecdc-81a5-4f8f-b5c0-7b7c0e8d46a7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.41244%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Qatar is the only nation making its first World Cup appearance since qualifying automatically as host country.

[{"selector":"#anim-112da7bc-3e39-4faa-9162-87b8e8bf8822","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ace03ef3-aab1-4141-b6a5-f715bbc1ee12","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 246.34376%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The United States, Ghana, Ecuador and Cameroon are making their 2018 tournament return, after having missed the 2018 tournament.

[{"selector":"#anim-d509b5f1-b027-4dbd-bd98-7ed79bbc694e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dda43d53-918a-4c15-be8f-f6865a0ae865","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.41244%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

France, which is the current champion, is considered a tournament favourite along with England, Argentina and Brazil.

[{"selector":"#anim-b2938cf2-55e1-4110-8853-2bdc1122e144","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c3ba70c-af9d-44d4-b906-6d9b8efc5e11","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.41244%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

A game is split into two 45-minute halves. To account for injuries, penalties or other disruptions, there may be additional "injury times" at the ends of each half.

[{"selector":"#anim-9fd9382a-e12f-466e-a14f-23f389b29e99","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e97a7cdd-9d05-40f6-bfe7-b773a0a57b3a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.76265%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Since the 1930 inaugural World Cup in Uruguay, it has been held every four years with two exceptions.

[{"selector":"#anim-17989552-1d01-499c-95dd-d2c4658b6213","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4cee61bc-1b8c-4200-a8c8-7f5b03cd0602","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 246.34376%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Each country plays three times against the other three in its group. Teams win three points for a win, one for a draw, and none if they lose.

[{"selector":"#anim-425f1fb3-1415-45ef-9b31-167732407eab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9f22cf3-f659-4d33-a411-8f5086e9993c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.41244%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Brazil's five World Cup title titles are the most by any men's soccer team. Italy holds the next highest number of trophies, with four.

[{"selector":"#anim-e73d3c25-4801-46fb-b931-5943d860e432","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-101b997a-8b7d-470f-8224-978c51a74782","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.41244%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Although the pandemic forced continental federations to postpone World Cup qualification in consultation with FIFA, some teams were forced to withdraw from qualifying matches.

[{"selector":"#anim-68fa60ee-fd66-4790-b11c-d1e61c7a6a46","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb0845ba-e0b6-4274-8fd2-f882bb9b6e44","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.23777%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]