World Cup 2022: When does it start, which teams have qualified 

FIFA World Cup 2022 preview: Everything you need to know about the tournament's 22nd edition, which will be held in Qatar this winter.

[{"selector":"#anim-48b9bb5c-26aa-4aa5-b052-194364239c38 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-1.7513676219070362%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b003d89-2614-4526-9283-5d9538694a2d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd681de3-9d23-4c52-bfc9-781ddad90fea","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup later this year, making it the first Arab country to host the event and the second to be held entirely in Asia.

[{"selector":"#anim-f58c57be-14eb-4a6a-90da-ba7c0a5ecd50 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, -6.978155511205841e-7%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24fa96f8-f708-459e-87d3-09152a76e5eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6017805d-b712-451f-81ba-841196b1067d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 210.03082%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] After losing on penalties to Italy in the European Championship 2020 final, Gareth Southgate's England team will be looking to go one better on the world stage this time.

[{"selector":"#anim-f5f9cb01-1d78-47f8-a71f-83e6f16d360f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(12.14535406340493%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e1f0914-b220-4f96-bc9b-9d5529e6524e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-71929fb0-ed32-461b-8572-e519745f4de0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 208.64187%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The tournament kicks off on November 20 with a game between Qatar and Ecuador. The start date has been moved up a day due to the host country, Qatar.

[{"selector":"#anim-ab10abc3-8685-4b61-9122-b307676c9649 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b5fa320-5c61-489e-b04b-2ee3fe66ab98","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da725306-d7c0-4f04-b2b9-bf971e118b86","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -912.8083%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Despite Qatar's bid committee's initial claims that it would be possible, the World Cup will be held in the winter rather than the traditional summer slot.

[{"selector":"#anim-2535dab9-61dc-4a3e-909f-763240f0a1a7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f447040-9c2b-4775-a1ec-f9b1f860e71e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0250f232-1836-496e-90b1-99a8508bd08f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] However, those plans were quickly abandoned, and Fifa agreed to the hosts' request to hold it at the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

[{"selector":"#anim-bd2d260c-540b-4f5b-ab2f-5cc82bcccdff [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3fdec4f6-4714-4f72-88d5-ac25b84f781c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79db9d99-379a-4c64-a43f-a23e37a1d82b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.47526%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] On November 15, England finished their qualification campaign against San Marino. 13 European teams will qualify for the World Cup finals in total.

[{"selector":"#anim-c681b7df-2a07-4283-a155-2070da4a7379 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-5.24475206903713%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7f1e0b5-5962-4289-bad8-3e5dc0b0c5d2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-189ecfc5-d503-4a7c-b47d-7466b1a5ae49","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -903.08614%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The tournament is being held in Qatar, the smallest country in terms of size (11,600 km2) and population (2.7 million) to host the World Cup. Learn more