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The much-anticipated Qatar World Cup 2022 is right around the corner, and excitement is building rapidly among football fans worldwide.

This edition of the tournament is set to be quite different from any previous FIFA World Cup, prompting plenty of questions that supporters are eager to have answered before the event begins later this year.

In case you missed it or are still wrapping your head around it, the 2022 World Cup is taking place in the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar.

The hosts were officially announced by FIFA in December 2010, on the same day that Russia was confirmed to host the 2018 World Cup.

Qatar does not have a particularly rich footballing heritage, and its intense summer heat made it a surprising selection for a tournament traditionally held in June and July.

Due to the extreme summer temperatures in Qatar, where July highs average around 43°C, the 2022 World Cup has been rescheduled to the winter months for the very first time in history.

The World Cup 2022 will officially kick off on November 20, 2022, and will conclude with the grand final on December 18, 2022.

Fans can look forward to weekly updates featuring top highlights, trivia, and football-themed quizzes delivered straight to their inboxes.

A complete World Cup wall chart, with all match dates, is also available for download.

Here’s how viewers across the globe can watch the World Cup 2022:

• United Kingdom: Matches will be divided between BBC and ITV, both free-to-air broadcasters that only require a valid UK TV licence.
• United States: Fox and FS1 will air group stage matches, while all knockout fixtures will be on Fox. Without cable, both channels can be accessed via Sling Blue for $39.99 per month (50% off for the first month) or Fubo TV for $69.99 per month after a seven-day free trial.
• Canada: TSN will broadcast every match. Subscription costs start from $19.99 per month, or $199.90 for a yearly plan.
• Australia: SBS will show every match, accessible with a free SBS On Demand account.
• New Zealand: Sky Sport offers coverage with a seven-day free trial; a monthly pass costs $39.99, or $19.99 for a weekly pass.

Both the UK and Australia will provide free-to-air coverage, with BBC and ITV holding the rights in Britain and SBS showing all games in Australia.

In the United States, football fans can take advantage of a seven-day trial on Fubo TV, while New Zealand viewers can do the same on Sky Sport.

During November, Qatar’s daytime temperatures average around 29°C, cooling down to roughly 19°C at night.

Who has made it to the World Cup 2022? All 32 nations heading to Qatar have now been confirmed.

The last three teams to secure their spots were Wales, who beat Ukraine in a delayed European play-off on June 5, 2022; Australia, who overcame Peru in an intercontinental play-off on June 13; and Costa Rica, who defeated New Zealand in another intercontinental play-off on June 14.

For the latest updates on all World Cup 2022 squads, you’re well covered here.

Typically, national teams reveal their tournament squads about six weeks before kickoff, but because this year’s domestic seasons run right up to the start of the event, squads are expected to be announced roughly two weeks before the opening match on November 18.

The group stage draw for the World Cup 2022 took place in Doha, Qatar’s capital, on April 1.

You can check out the full group listings for the World Cup 2022 as well.

All World Cup 2022 matches will have kick-off times between 10am and 7pm (UK time).

The first two rounds of group stage games will begin at 10am, 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm GMT. The final group stage and knockout games will kick off at either 3pm or 7pm.

Here’s how these times translate across different time zones:

10am GMT
Qatar: 1pm
CET: 11am
EST: 5am
PDT: 2am

1pm GMT
Qatar: 4pm
CET: 2pm
EST: 8am
PDT: 5am

3pm GMT
Qatar: 6pm
CET: 4pm
EST: 10am
PDT: 7am

4pm GMT
Qatar: 7pm
CET: 5pm
EST: 11am
PDT: 8am

7pm GMT
Qatar: 10pm
CET: 8pm
EST: 2pm
PDT: 11am

The stadiums hosting the World Cup 2022 matches are as follows:

• Lusail Stadium, Lusail – Capacity: 80,000
• Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor – Capacity: 60,000
• Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah – Capacity: 40,000
• Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan – Capacity: 40,000
• Khalifa International Stadium, Doha – Capacity: 40,000
• Education City Stadium, Doha – Capacity: 40,000
• Stadium 974, Doha – Capacity: 40,000
• Al Thumama Stadium, Doha – Capacity: 40,000

A high-resolution World Cup 2022 wall chart is available for download and home printing, with optional black-and-white and blank versions also provided.

The official mascot for the 2022 World Cup is La’eeb, inspired by the traditional Qatari headdress known as a ghutra. The name translates to 'super-skilled player'.

La’eeb’s message encourages everyone to believe in themselves, accompanied by the slogan “Now is All.” The meaning might be a bit abstract, but it’s meant to inspire positivity and confidence.

There’s also a Panini sticker album for the World Cup 2022, which requires a total of 670 stickers to complete. Fans can explore guides for affordable Panini World Cup sticker deals to complete their collections.