The FIFA World Cup will be played from Sunday, Nov. 20, through Sunday, Dec. 18, in Qatar. The event occurs every four years as 32 teams worldwide fight for the prestigious championship.
Who is hosting?
Qatar is the host site for the World Cup. This is the first time the event will be held in a Middle Eastern country and the first time in winter.
The tournament usually takes place during the summer, but the commission decided to move it to the cooler winter months due to the extreme heat of the Middle East.
What happened in 2018?
The World Cup was last held in Russia in 2018.
France was crowned the champion securing a 4-2 defeat of Croatia. It was the second World Cup title for the French.
Belgium came home in third while England recorded a fourth-place finish.
How does the tournament work?
The teams competing were determined during a qualification phase over the previous three years.
The 32 teams are divided into eight four-team groups. The teams will play three matches against the other teams in their groups.
Teams can earn points in their games based on the result. If a team wins, they earn three points, a tie is one point, and a loss is zero.
The top two finishers in each group will move on to the elimination bracket, which comprises 16 teams. From then on, the tournament is single elimination until a champion is crowned.
Who is in group A?
- Qatar
- Ecuador
- Senegal
- Netherlands
Who is in Group B?
- England
- Iran
- United States
- Wales
Who is in Group C?
- Argentina
- Saudi Arabia
- Mexico
- Poland
Who is in Group D?
- France
- Australia
- Denmark
- Tunisia
Who is in group E?
- Spain
- Costa Rica
- Germany
- Japan
Who is in group F?
- Belgium
- Canada
- Morocco
- Croatia
Who is in Group G?
- Brazil
- Serbia
- Switzerland
- Cameroon
Who is in Group H?
- Portugal
- Ghana
- Uruguay
- South Korea
Who to watch for?
United States
Nicknames: The Stars and Stripes; The Yanks
Best finish: Third place (1930)
Last appearances: 2014
The Stars and Stripes are back in the World Cup after missing it in 2018, losing in the qualifiers against Trinidad and Tobago.
In Group B with England, Wales and Iran. The United States. are in for a tough battle back in the World Cup as they ride off the momentum of winning the Gold Cup against Mexico.
Christian Pulisic is the man for the U.S., as he has been dominant in their return to the World Cup.
Canada
Nicknames: The Reds; Maple Leafs; Canucks; The Voyageurs
Best Finish: Group stage (1986)
Last appearance: 1986
The Canadians made the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986, breaking a 36-year drought. The World Cup was held in Mexico that year, and the trip wasn't successful for the Reds as they lost all three group-stage games.
The squad is ranked No. 41 worldwide and in Group F. The team will face Belgium, Croatia and Morrocco in group play.
Forward/Defender Alphonso Davies leads the Reds and has recorded 12 goals in five seasons with the squad. Davies is a member of Bayern Munich and will need to step up if the team wants to have an unforgettable run.
Mexico
Nickname: The Tricolor
Best Finish: Quarterfinals (1970, 1986)
Last appearance: 2018
The Mexican national team is coming off a round-of-16 exit at the hands of Brazil in the 2018 World Cup.
Mexico is a part of Group C and will face Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Poland in group play. The most intriguing matchup of the group could be Argentina and Mexico.
Club América standout goalie Guillermo Ochoa leads the Tricolor. Ochoa's performance will be critical if Mexico hopes to go far.
England
Nickname: The Three Lions
Best Finish: Champions (1966)
Last appearance: 2018
The Three Lions are coming off a penalty shootout defeat against Italy in the Euro 2020 final. With their best finish being in 1966 as champions of the world.
England is in Group B with Wales, the United States and Iran. A big matchup against the U.S. on Thanksgiving day will be a potential game of the year.
A player to watch for England is Striker Harry Kane. The captain of the Three Lions scored 17 goals during the world cup qualifiers.
France
Nickname: The Blues
Best Finish: Champions (1998, 2018)
Last appearance: 2018
The Blues come into the 2022 World Cup as the defending champions. France knocked off Croatia in the final 4-2 to secure the title.
France is a member of Group D and will have group play matches against Australia, Denmark and Tunisia.
The team is led by one of the best in the world, Kylian Mbappé of Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappé had five goals and two assists in the qualifiers.
Croatia
Nickname: The Blazers
Best Finish: Runners-up (2018)
Last appearance: 2018
The Croatian national team is coming off their best finish in the 2018 cup, where they were runners-up.
The Blazers will look to avenge their 4-2 loss this season. Croatia will be in Group F with matchups against Belgium, Canada and Morocco.
Midfielder Luka Modrić will be pivotal for the squad in this year's cup. Modrić plays for Real Madrid and is a player to watch for the Blazers.
Germany
Nickname: DFB Team
Best finish: Champions (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
Last appearance: 2018
The German national team is looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2018 World Cup campaign, where they failed to advance to the elimination bracket.
The DFB team is in Group E and will face Spain, Costa Rica and Japan in group play.
The squad will need a stellar performance from Bayern Munich product Thomas Müller if they hope to hoist the World Cup trophy again.
Belgium
Nickname: The Red Devils
Best Finish: Third place (2018)
Last appearance: 2018
The Red Devils of Belgium are on the last leg of their golden age. The team is coming off a third-place finish in the 2018 World Cup.
Belgium is in Group F with Canada, Morocco and Croatia. Belgium is looking to come out of the top of its group.
Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City is looking to have a stellar performance in the World Cup, posting six goals in the qualifying stages.
Portugal
Nickname: The Selection
Best Finish: Third place (1966)
Last appearance: 2018
Portugal is in for a run this World Cup after being eliminated in the round of 16 by Uruguay.
Portugal is in Group H, with matchups against Ghana, South Korea and Uruguay set for the group stage.
"Viva Ronaldo, Viva Ronaldo." Cristiano Ronaldo is the player to look for in Portugal. Arguably the greatest player in the world may be facing his last chance of winning a World Cup this winter in Qatar.
Spain
Nickname: The Red One); The Red Fury
Best finish: Champions (2010)
Last appearance: 2018
The Red Fury is coming off a round-of-16 loss to Russia on penalty kicks in 2018.
This time the Spaniards are in Group E and will have group play matchups against Costa Rica, Germany and Japan.
A player to watch for is Sergio Busquets set to play in his third World Cup. This might be the last time we see the Barcelona player on this stage as he prepares for retirement from international play.
Poland
Nickname: The White and Red; The Eagles
Best finish: Third place (1974, 1982)
Last appearance: 2018
The Eagles of Poland are an uncommon choice in the World Cup, but they are a consistent team.
They are in Group C, which contains Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Poland is in for some fierce competition but is not out of it as they have the likes of target man Robert Lewandowski leading the way.
Even Charlotte FC player, Karol Swiderski, is in the squad looking for his first action on the biggest international stage.
Brazil
Nickname: The National Team; Little Canary
Best finish: Champions (195 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Last appearance: 2018
Belgium ousted the Brazilian national team in the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup. Before that, Germany dominated to the tune of seven goals to eliminate the National Team in 2014.
Brazil is in Group G and will have group matchups against Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon.
In what could be Neymar's last World Cup, expect him to give it his all to deliver his home country to the top of the biggest stage.
Argentina
Nickname: The White and Sky Blue
Best finish: Champions (1978, 1986)
Last appearance: 2018
Argentina is looking to reach similar heights to Brazil in 2014, where they fell to Germany 1-0.
Favorites for Group C, Argentina have the power to dominate the group and the rest of the tournament.
Leading them is Lionel Messi; this may even be his last chance to bring home the biggest trophy.
Uruguay
Nickname: The Sky Blue
Best finish: Champions (1930, 1950)
Last appearance: 2018
The Sky Blue of Uruguay is an older squad with experience at the end of an era.
Uruguay is in Group H and is looking to come out as the top two.
Luis Suarez, Edison Cavani and youngster Darwin Nunez will be the top performers for the team.
Qatar
Nickname: The Maroon
Last appearance: Debut
Qatar hosts the World Cup and will debut in the tournament.
The Maroon are members of Group A and will face Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands in group play.
The Maroon will rely on Hassan Al-Haydos in the tournament. Al-Haydos is arguably one of the most influential players for Qatar, playing in 158 games during his tenure.
Japan
Nickname: Samurai Blue
Best finish: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018)
Last appearance: 2018
Japan is a team to watch as they play in Qatar.
In Group E, Japan will face Spain, Germany and Costa Rica in group play.
Daichi Kamada leads the way for the squad as they look to advance. Kamada is an attacking midfielder supplying assists and goals for Frankfurt in Germany.
Cameroon
Nickname: The Indomitable Lions
Best finish: Quarterfinals (1990)
Last appearance: 2014
Cameroon is back in the World Cup for the first time in eight years. The squad missed the tournament in 2018.
Cameroon is in Group G and will have group play clashes against Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is a player to watch. Choupo-Moting is a member of Bayern Munich.
Ghana
Nickname: Black Stars
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2010)
Last appearance: 2014
Ghana is another team that hasn't played in the World Cup for eight years. In 2014, the Black Stars failed to qualify for the elimination bracket.
Ghana is in Group H and will face Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in group play.
Midfielder Thomas Partey has 40 national caps and brings veteran leadership to the team. Partey, a member of Arsenal in the Premier League, is a player to watch.
Senegal
Nickname: Lions of Terenga
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2002)
Last appearance: 2018
The Lions of Terenga won the African Cup of Nations, beating Egypt 1-0 in the final. The team is set for a good run in the World Cup.
Sadly, they will miss their best player Sadio Mané due to injury but will still have Edouard Mendy in between the sticks for them. Mendy is a dominant force for Chelsea during the season and will look to keep it going in Qatar.
Looking to kickoff
The first FIFA World Cup match will occur on Sunday, Nov. 20, when Qatar takes on Ecuador at 11 a.m.