Qualified teams, England fixtures and UK kick-off times plus information on rules, weather and stadiums for this winter’s tournament in Qatar

The 2022 Qatar World Cup is coming up later this year – and the draw has now been made for the finals.

England will come up against USA, Iran and either Wales, Scotland or Ukraine in the group stage, while Spain and Germany will face off with a number of mouthwatering ties awaiting us in the winter.

Now the draw has been made, here’s everything we know so far about the tournament…

World Cup 2022: Confirmed group stage fixtures

England potentially face a first-ever ‘Battle of Britain’ at a World Cup finals.

The Three Lions will be up against either Scotland, Wales or Ukraine in the group stage, with that play-off path still to be settled in June due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Gareth Southgate’s men will kick off Group B on the tournament’s opening day against Iran, a side they have never faced in a senior competitive international.

They will also face the United States, who they have met twice in the World Cup finals – in 1950 and 2010 – but never beaten.

If they get through their group, England would face one of hosts Qatar, Holland, Ecuador or Senegal in the last 16.

Elsewhere, Group E pitted two former world champions Spain and Germany against each other.

Belgium take on fellow 2018 World Cup semi-finalists Croatia in Group F, while reigning champions France take on Denmark, Tunisia and the winner of intercontinental play-off one, which will be one of Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Peru.

• Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
• Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales/Scotland/Ukraine
• Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
• Group D: France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia
• Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan
• Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
• Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
• Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

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World Cup 2022: Key dates for finals

The tournament will kick off on Monday, November 21 with holders Qatar playing in the first match against Ecuador in Group A.

England, having been drawn first in Group B, will also play on the opening day of the tournament.

The group stage will run until Friday, December 2 with the first of the knockout games starting the following day on Saturday, December 3.

The final will then be held at the 80,000-seater Lusail Iconic Stadium on Sunday, December 18.

• November 21: World Cup starts
• December 3/6: Round of 16
• December 9/10: Quarter-finals
• December 13/14: Semi-finals
• December 18: World Cup final

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World Cup 2022: Kick-off times

The time in Qatar is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

FIFA has confirmed the first two rounds of matches will kick off at 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 10pm local time (10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm in the UK).

Kick-off times in the final round of group games and knock-out round matches will be at 6pm and 10pm local time (3pm and 7pm UK time).

And the final is scheduled to kick off at 6pm local time (3pm UK time).

World Cup 2022: England’s fixtures

Here are the confirmed dates and times of England’s potential fixtures…

Group Stages

England v Iran – 4pm local/1pm UK – Mon 22/11

England v USA – 10pm local/7pm UK – Fri 25/11

England v Scotland/Ukraine/Wales – 10pm local/7pm UK – Tue 29/11

If England finish 1st

Round of 16 – 10pm local/7pm UK – Sun 4/12 (potentially Ecuador or Senegal)

Quarter final – 10pm local/7pm UK – Sat 10/12 (potentially France or Argentina)

Semi final – 10pm local/7pm UK – Wed 14/12 (potentially Belgium, Germany, Portugal or Spain)

If England finish 2nd

Round of 16 – 6pm local/3pm UK – Sat 3/12 (potentially Netherlands)

Quarter final – 10pm local/7pm UK – Fri 9/12 (potentially Argentina or Denmark)

Semi final – 10pm local/7pm UK – Tue 13/12 (potentially Spain, Canada or Croatia)

Final

3rd place play off – 6pm local/3pm UK – Sat 17/12

Final – 6pm local/3pm UK – Sun 18/12

AFP or licensors

World Cup 2022: The weather

The weather has been a hot topic ever since the World Cup was awarded to the Gulf nation of Qatar.

In November, the average temperature in Qatar is between 22C and 30C while in December is it between 17C and 25C.

In the summer months between May and August, the average temperature is around 37C.

Qatar is a peninsular Arab country which is location in the Persian Gulf. It borders Saudi Arabia and is near neighbours to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

World Cup 2022: How the tournament works

There will be 32 countries competing in the World Cup including holders Qatar who will be making their debut in the showpiece tournament.

Unlike at Euro 2020, the group stage will only see the top two teams progress from the eight groups.

The group winners and runners-up will enter the round of 16 and the tournament will progress through the knockout stage before a champion is crowned in the final.

There will be a third-place play-off match which will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan on Saturday, December 17.

World Cup 2022: The venues

The tournament will be held solely in Qatar with the majority of games being played in the capital city of Doha.

The four stadia in the Doha area include the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, the Al Thumama Stadium, the Education City Stadium and the Khalifa International Stadium.

Four more venues will be used at the tournament with the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail and the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor being the largest.

The Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan and the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah will also be used.

The grounds will not be far apart from one another with the longest distance being around 65km from the Al Bayt Stadium to the Al Janoub Stadium.

World Cup 2022: How it will affect the 2022/23 Premier League season

The new Premier League season will get under way on August 6 and will hold its final day of May 28, 2023.

The Premier League will break after the weekend of November 12/13 before resuming fixtures again on Boxing Day.

Players will have a week of preparations with their national teams before heading out to the tournament in the Middle East.

They will then have only eight days to recover in time for the league’s resumption should they reach the final on December 18.

There is set to be only six weekends without Premier League games.

And what about the beer?

Alcohol isn’t illegal in Qatar, but there is zero tolerance for drinking in public and being drunk in public is a crime.

As part of relaxed rules, though, booze will be available to fans in stadiums in Qatar, but so far only to those purchasing hospitality packages.

For a full explainer on rules for beer, then click here.

World Cup 2022: Full schedule list

Group stage: (Kick-off times and venues for group stage matches TBA, all kick-off times where given are GMT)

Monday, November 21:

Group A – Qatar v Ecuador,

Group A – Senegal v Holland

Group B – England v Iran

Group B – USA v Wales/Scotland/Ukraine

Tuesday, November 22:

Group C – Argentina v Saudi Arabia

Group C – Mexico v Poland

Group D – France v Peru/UAE/Australia

Group D – Denmark v Tunisia

Wednesday, November 23:

Group E – Spain v Costa Rica/New Zealand

Group E – Germany v Japan

Group F – Belgium v Canada

Group F – Morocco v Croatia

Thursday, November 24:

Group G – Brazil v Serbia

Group G – Switzerland v Cameroon

Group H – Portugal v Ghana

Group H – Uruguay v South Korea

Friday, November 25:

Group B – England v USA

Group B – Iran v Wales/Scotland/Ukraine

Group A – Qatar v Senegal

Group A – Holland v Ecuador

Saturday, November 26:

Group D – France v Denmark

Group D – Tunisia v Peru/UAE/Australia

Group C – Argentina v Mexico

Group C – Poland v Saudi Arabia

Sunday, November 27:

Group F – Belgium v Morocco

Group F – Croatia v Canada

Group E – Spain v Germany

Group E – Japan v Costa Rica/New Zealand

Monday, November 28:

Group H – Portugal v Uruguay

Group H – South Korea v Ghana

Group G – Brazil v Switzerland

Group G – Cameroon v Serbia

Tuesday, November 29:

Group A – Holland v Qatar

Group A – Ecuador v Senegal

Group B – Wales/Scotland/Ukraine v England

Group B – Iran v USA

Wednesday, November 30:

Group C – Poland v Argentina

Group C – Saudi Arabia v Mexico

Group D – Tunisia v France

Group D – Peru/UAE/Australia v Denmark

Thursday, December 1

Group E – Japan v Spain

Group E – Costa Rica/New Zealand v Germany

Group F – Croatia v Belgium

Group F – Canada v Morocco

Friday, December 2:

Group G – Cameroon v Brazil

Group G – Serbia v Switzerland

Group H – South Korea v Portugal

Group H – Ghana v Uruguay

Round-of-16:

Saturday, December 3:

Match 49 – 1A v 2B – Khalifa International Stadium, 1500

Match 50 – 1C v 2D – Al Rayyan Stadium, 1900

Sunday, December 4:

Match 52 – 1D v 2C – Al Thumama Stadium, 1500

Match 51 – 1B v 2A – Al Bayt Stadium, 1900

Monday, December 5:

Match 53 – 1E v 2F – Al Janoub Stadium, 1500

Match 54 – 1G v 2H – Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, 1900

Tuesday, December 6:

Match 55 – 1F v 2E – Education City Stadium, 1500

Match 56 – 1H v 2G – Lusail Stadium, 1900

Quarter-finals:

Friday, December 9:

Match 57 – Winner of Match 49 v Winner Match 50 – Lusail Stadium, 1900

Match 58 – Winner of Match 53 v Winner Match 54 – Education City Stadium, 1500

Saturday, December 10:

Match 59 – Winner Match 51 v Winner Match 52 – Al Bayt Stadium, 1900

Match 60 – Winner Match 55 v Winner Match 56 – Al Thumama Stadium, 1500

Semi-finals:

Tuesday, December 13:

Match 61 – Winner Match 57 v Winner Match 58 – Lusail Stadium, 1900

Wednesday, December 14:

Match 62 – Winner Match 59 v Winner Match 60 – Al Bayt Stadium, 1900

Third-place play-off:

Saturday, December 17:

Match 63 – Khalifa International Stadium, 1500

Final:

Sunday, December 18:

Match 64 – Lusail Stadium, 1500