World Cup to start a day earlier -Sources

The 2022 World Cup is set to start a day earlier than planned with FIFA expected to move Qatar’s opening game to Sunday, November 20, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

Since 2006 the first match of the tournament has featured the host country, but the 2022 edition is currently scheduled to begin on Monday, November 21 with Senegal vs Netherlands.

In the original schedule, the hosts’ first match was due to be the third game on Monday, kicking off at 7 p.m. local time, effectively meaning there would be an opening ceremony after the tournament had kicked off. Sources told ESPN earlier this year that Qatar initially requested to have a later kickoff on November 21 because the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, insisted on having a huge fireworks display before his country’s opening match and an afternoon kickoff would have severely reduced its visual impact.

Sources have told ESPN that moving the game to Sunday will give Qatar the chance to showcase the World Cup and have the opening ceremony as a standalone event.

ALSO READ:  Two stadiums to be inaugurated ahead Qatar 2022

Senegal vs. Netherlands will move from 1 p.m. local time to 7 p.m., the slot left vacant by moving Qatar’s match, on the Monday. It means there will be no early kickoff. The other two games on Monday — England vs. IR Iran (4 p.m. local) and United States vs. Wales (10 p.m. local) — are unaffected.

It will now be put forward to the Bureau of the FIFA Council, made up of president Gianni Infantino and the leaders from the six confederations, for approval with confirmation expected later this week.

Sources told ESPN that FIFA has assessed the impact on supporters and expects it to be minimal, though any issues over travel and accommodation will be handled on a case-by-case basis.