World Cup 2022 will start one day early with Qatar v Ecuador

The FIFA World Cup 2022 will begin with an even greater celebration for local and international fans. The host country, Qatar, will now play Ecuador as a stand-alone event on Sunday, November 20 at 19:00.

Following a unanimous decision by the FIFA Council Bureau today, the opening match and ceremony of this year’s tournament at Al Bayt Stadium have been moved forward one day. As a result, the match between Senegal and the Netherlands has been rescheduled for Monday, November 21, from 13:00 to 19:00.

The change ensures the continuation of a long-standing tradition of marking the start of the FIFA World CupTM with an opening ceremony on the occasion of the first match featuring either the hosts or the defending champions.

A FIFA statement released on Thursday included: “The decision followed an assessment of the competition and operational implications, as well as a thorough consultation process and an agreement with key stakeholders and the host country.

The decision was made after an analysis of the competition and operational implications, as well as extensive consultation and agreement with key stakeholders and the host country.

The release period, as previously decided and governed by the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, will remain unchanged, beginning on November 14, 2022. Ticket holders will be notified via email that the relevant matches have been rescheduled, and their tickets will remain valid regardless of the new date/time. Furthermore, FIFA will address any issues arising from this change on an individual basis.

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match schedule and competition regulations have been updated accordingly.