FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Schedule, Format, Rules, and FAQs
Are you watching soccer and wondering how the FIFA World Cup™ works? Here's the format, schedule, and rules for the world’s biggest tournament.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been hit with FIFA World Cup™ fever, likely contracted from your friends who are constantly talking about and watching the biggest tournament in soccer. You’ve come to this page because you haven’t ever really been a soccer-watcher, but you’re loving the tournament and are curious about how this entire thing really works. Considering a record 3.572 billion people watched the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, we promise you, you’re not alone in needing a guide to explain all the different questions that will come up during the tournament. Here’s everything you need to know about how the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ works.
How Do I Watch the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™
https://www.youtube.com/embed/f9tw0_0PTSs
You can watch the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ on FS1 and FOX (available in select markets) with Sling Blue. FOX is available in Phoenix; Oakland / San Jose; Orlando / Gainesville / Tampa; Atlanta; Detroit; Minneapolis; Austin / Houston; Seattle / Tacoma; Milwaukee:; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Washington DC; Chicago; NYC; Philadelphia; and Dallas.
For more information on how to watch with Sling, use the link at the top of this section.
How Do Countries Qualify For the FIFA World Cup™?
32 teams qualified for Qatar 2022™. These 32 teams come from a pool of six different continental zones: Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North/Central America/ Caribbean, South America. Each zone is allotted a certain amount of teams to qualify. These zones started the qualifying process on June 6, 2019 and over a two year period, the nations played matches with the most successful teams qualifying for the FIFA World Cup™. As the host country, Qatar automatically qualified.
How Does the Group Stage Work at the FIFA World Cup™?
The 32 teams that qualify for the FIFA World Cup™ are placed into eight groups of four. These groups are lettered A-H. Each team plays everyone in their group once, receiving 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss. The top two teams in the group advance to the knockout stage.
What are the Tiebreakers in the Group Stage at the FIFA World Cup™?
If teams are tied on points at the end of the Group Stage, the following tiebreakers are activated:
1st tiebreak: Goal difference - The team with the greater goal difference (goals scored minus goals allowed) will advance.
2nd tiebreak: Goals scored - If the teams are tied on goal difference, then the team who scored the most goals in the group stage will advance.
3rd tiebreak: Points obtained in group games between teams - If the teams are tied on goal difference and goals scored, then the team who won the head-to-head battle will advance.
4th tiebreak and 5th tiebreak: Goal difference from games involving teams concerned and number of goals scored in games between teams concerned. This tiebreak is mostly in place if there is a tiebreak of more than two teams.
6th tiebreak: Fair play points - Whichever team has a better disciplinary record advances (fewer yellow cards, indirect and straight red cards).
7th tiebreak: Drawing by FIFA - FIFA randomly draws who advances.
How Do the Knockout Rounds work in the FIFA World Cup™?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/aEqtMIRRqJY
The knockout round is simple: Win and advance! I f the game is tied after 90-minutes plus stoppage time, there will be two 15-minute periods of overtime. If the game remains tied, a penalty shootout will progress until one team is declared the winner.
Why Do Kids Walk Out With Soccer Players?
You’ll notice throughout the FIFA World Cup™ at the beginning of the game when players enter the field, they are accompanied by children. No, these kids holding hands with the soccer players aren't their children, they are match day mascots, and escort them onto the field (Qatar 2022™ also has a mascot, but the less said about this anthropomorphic turban, the better). Not only does it give the kids a chance to meet their favorite stars, it also is a chance for brands to fulfill these dreams, like McDonalds sending kids to Brazil to walk out with soccer players. Regardless, it’s adorable and yields great moments like this one.
What is VAR?
VAR stands for ‘Video Assistant Referee’ and is the system used to review and enforce the rules of the game. ‘VMOs’, also known as ‘Video Match Officials’ use the system to look at things like offsides calls, fouls, and more.
Why Is the FIFA World Cup™ In Qatar?
The vote for the location of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ took place in 2010. Qatar won the bid to host the tournament over the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia. It will be the first-ever FIFA World Cup™ held in an Arab nation. During the selection process, there are four rounds of voting, with 22 votes up for grabs from FIFA’s executive members. In the end Qatar won every round of voting, including the last round, holding 14 votes to the United States 8. In 2015, U.S. federal prosecutors opened a case against FIFA which investigated many cases of corruption, one of which included FIFA members taking bribes to hand Russia the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ and Qatar the 2022 FIFA World Cup™.
Why is the World Cup™ in November?
The FIFA World Cup™ usually takes place in the summer months of June to July. But due to the heat in Qatar during those months, where the temperature exceeds 100 degrees fahrenheit, the tournament was moved to the winter months. Temperatures drop to around 75 degrees fahrenheit in these months.
What is the game schedule for the World Cup™?
Glad you asked, check out the full Group Stage schedule below, and use the link at the bottom of this page to subscribe to Sling Orange + Blue.
Men's FIFA World Cup™ TV Schedule
Watch with Sling Blue in Select Markets
FS1 is included with Sling Blue. FOX* is available with Sling Blue in select markets.
*Click here for more information on how to watch locals on Sling.