Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup 2022 in four days, ending a four-year wait since the last edition took place in Russia in 2018. Over a million fans are expected to descend upon the middle-eastern nation that will become the first Arab country to host football's biggest extravaganza.
What time will the matches begin in India?
Inaugural match and opening ceremony:
- The first match of the tournament will be played at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar, following the tradition of the host team playing first
- The opening ceremony with entertainers such as BTS' Jung Kook and Indian actress Nora Fatehi will take place at 9:30 pm IST before the match starts
Group stage:
- Qatar v Ecuador match will also mark the start of the group stage matches at 3.30 pm, 6.30 pm, 9.30 pm and 12.30 am IST, respectively.
- The last eight matches of the group stages will take place at 8:30 pm IST.
Round of 16:
- Teams that top their respective groups will advance to the Round of 16, marking the end of the round-robin stage.
- It will also mark the beginning of the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2022, starting on December 3, with the winners moving on to the quarterfinals, starting on December 9.
- These matches will be held at 8:30 pm and 12:30 am IST, respectively.
Semi-Finals:
- In the semi-finals, the final four teams will play at 12:30 am IST on December 14 and 15.
- Teams losing in the semifinals will play in a third-place play-off at the Khalifa International Stadium at 8:30 pm IST on December 17.
Finals:
- The final match will be held on December 18 at the Lusail Stadium between the finalist' teams. The match will begin at 8:30 pm IST.
Where Can You Watch It Live?
In India, fans will be able to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 live on the Sports18 channel, thanks to Reliance Industries' Viacom18 media winning the broadcast rights. Fans can watch both SD and HD live broadcasts of the World Cup in Qatar on Sports18, with options to choose between English and Hindi feeds. Viacom18 has also offered fans the option to stream the match live on the JioCinema app.