The FIFA World Cup™ match schedule is confirmed. Al Bayt Stadium will host the opening match on 21 November, Khalifa International Stadium will be the setting for the play-off for third place on 17 December. The final will kick off one day later at Lusail Stadium in front of an 80,000 crowd.

World Cup fans will be able to watch an unprecedented four games a day, spread out over 11 hours, during the group stage of the Qatar 2022 tournament. 

Al Bayt Stadium, a 60,000-capacity arena that takes its name and shape from the traditional tents used by nomadic peoples in the Gulf region, will be the stage for hosts Qatar to kick off the tournament on Monday 21 November 2022 at 1 pm local time. The local kick-off times for group matches have been set for 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm and 10 pm, with the simultaneous kick-offs for the last round of group games and knockout-stage timings being 6 pm and 10 pm.

With the aim of providing all teams with optimal rest between their matches, the group stage will last 12 days and, with four matches per day, it promises a full and exciting schedule for fans. The tournament’s compact nature – with no air travel needed to move between the venues – will allow organisers, for the first time, to optimise specific match demands for the benefit and comfort of fans, teams and media.

Match Schedule FIFA

This will be achieved through the assignment of the group fixtures for each matchday to a stadium and kick-off time only after the final draw, currently planned for after the March 2022 international match calendar qualifying window. Once the pairings are known, the possibility will be discussed of providing a more beneficial kick-off time for audiences at home, or indeed for fans in Qatar with regard to the stadium allocation.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match schedule

That additional flexibility is possible without affecting any technical aspects since all stadiums are located within a compact radius and the climate is perfect at that time of year in Qatar, whether it is an early or a late kick-off. On top of that, this will potentially give fans the opportunity to attend more than one match a day during the group stage.

For those eager to book their seats at Qatar 2022, hospitality sales are scheduled to start in late 2020. Ticket sales for the general public will be conducted solely via FIFA.com/tickets, where details on the timeline, phases, categories and prices will be communicated in due course.

Source: FIFA

Al Bayt 2