Qatar 2022: seventh and final edition of the 32-team World Cup from 20/11 to 18/12/2022

Qatar - Ecuador (Group A) at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al-Khor (QAT) is the first of the 64 matches of the 22^nd FIFA World Cup, scheduled for Sunday 20/11/2022 (kick-off at 17:00 CET).

This is the seventh and final edition with 32 teams divided into eight groups of four. The formula was first used in France in 1998. From 2026 (in the USA, Mexico and Canada) onwards, 48 teams will take part in the quadrennial tournament.

Qatar 2022 is also the second World Cup to be held in Asia, 20 years after the 2002 World Cup hosted by South Korea and Japan (won by Brazil). Of the 20 others, 11 were held in Europe, 5 in South America in South America, 3 in the Concacaf zone and 1 in Africa.

Eight countries have won the 21 editions already played, three from South America with a total of nine trophies (Brazil, 5; Uruguay, 2 and Argentina, 2), and five from Europe with a total of 12 trophies (Germany, 4; Italy, 4; France, 2; England, 1 and Spain, 1). Only one of these eight nations will be absent in 2022, Italy, which failed to qualify, as was the case for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

To access the 2022…