The Spotlight Is On Qatar World Cup

After the recently concluded Euro Soccer tournament all eyes are now set on the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

England's long wait for glory goes on after a Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy on penalties but the good news is that the FIFA World Cup is just around the corner.

There are usually two years between a European Championship and a World Cup but with Euro 2020 postponed for a year due to the pandemic. All participating countries need to start preparing in right earnest if they want to make an impact in the forthcoming tournament.

The tournament kicks off on Monday November 21 at the Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor with a match that will feature the host country.

The final will be played at the Lusail Stadium in Doha a week before Christmas on Sunday December 18.

The tournament will feature 32 teams in eight groups of four.Four matches will be played each day during the group stage, which will run over a 12-day period and see winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16.

Matches will only be assigned to particular venues after the finals draw, so organisers can choose optimal kick-off times to suit television audiences in different countries, as well as supporters in the GCC.

The finals draw is scheduled to take place in April 2022, after the March window for international fixtures.

Unlike at Euro 2020, there will be a third-place play-off game on December 17 to complete the tournament.

Qatar has spent serious money in building the infrastructure and the time for pay off is round the corner.