Mark your calendars for November 21st — the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup games. The tournament, this year hosted in Qatar, is fast approaching, with the final draw just having taken place on April 1st. Currently, 29 nations have qualified leaving three spots to be filled in June. Qualifying began June 6th, 2019, and will be finalized this June during the intercontinental playoffs and the postponed UEFA matches. Russia's invasion of Ukraine not only caused their disqualification but also postponed Ukraine’s playoff match making them one of the contenders for the final spots. The ten runners up from the UEFA’s nations league plus Austria and the Czech Republic are eligible to take one of the remaining spots. This is the final time that only 32 teams can qualify as FIFA determined that the 2026 World Cup will expand to include 48 nations.
The games will take place in eight different stadiums across Qatar. The country won the privilege to host back in 2010, however, many controversies have challenged the decision and questioned their suitability to host. For one thing, extreme temperatures in the summer months have ultimately resulted in the games being held in the winter for the first time in World Cup history to ensure the health and safety of players, workers, and fans.
Furthermore, the neglect of human rights in Qatar, specifically concerning the labor conditions of workers has also been called to question. According to one investigation by the ITUC, the construction of the stadiums, hotels, and other related infrastructure is expected to cost the lives of an estimated 4,000 people, mostly migrants on the building sites. As of 2022, figures put the death toll as a result of this construction at around 1,200 people. The real number is unknown as the Qatari government works to keep the real conditions secret. BBC journalists who were invited to report on construction progress back in 2015 were arrested for publishing findings that included people not being paid for working, having their identification papers taken away, being denied food and water, and being expected to work in extremely inhospitable conditions, such as heat that reached up to 40º Celsius. These are claims that have been consistent throughout many reports for the past eight years. In 2016, Amnesty International got involved and pushed for stronger adherence to workers’ rights and reforms in the workplace as well. This remains an ongoing controversy, however, that has left many questioning their support for the 2022 World Cup.
Accusations of FIFA allowing Qatar to “buy” the World Cup and other acts of corruption have additionally created a lot of outrage. Claims were further inflamed by the 2015 FIFA corruption case. The FBI had been investigating FIFA for three years over the bidding process for Russia and Qatar’s World Cup hosting rights. The investigation expanded, however, when other allegations of racketeering, money laundering, and various other bribery schemes over the course of 20 years materialized. The US Department of Justice has since indicted several top FIFA executives and conducted thorough investigations including one on Qatar’s bidding practices.
Even with such significant controversy enshrining the prospects of Qatar hosting, World Cup traditions like the official mascot, song, and ball have also been decided as of the 1st of April, 2022. The times and places of all 64 matches have also been officially decided. Games will take place from November 21st until the final match on December 18th.
The 2022 World Cup will follow the standard format: 32 teams are placed into eight groups (4 teams in each) and play three matches each. The top 16 teams then advance to the knockout stage from the first round (the top 2 teams from each group category). This stage uses a single-elimination process until one team is left. The two runners up will also play to determine the second and third place victors.
Predictions are already being made about who will emerge victorious from this year's competition. France, the defending champions of the 2018 World Cup hosted in Russia is amongst the predicted nations to win the 2022 tournament. Brazil is also favored as the number 1 ranked team in the world currently. Prospects for Argentina are looking favorable with a 31-game unbeaten run, the longest in the history of the sport. Other favorites include 2018 runner-up, Croatia, and former champions Germany (1954, 1975, 1990, 2014) and Spain (2010).
There is still much decided for the 2022 games, but the wait for the World Cup is quickly decreasing for soccer fans around the world. It won't be long now before we get to come together and celebrate the excitement of soccer once again.