Once is not custom, the host country will not open “its” World Cup. The Qatar-Ecuador match will be played after Senegal-Netherlands and England-Iran.
The host country at the opening of the World Cup? It is the custom. It will not be respected in Qatar. According to the official program of the competition (see below), published late Friday, it is the Group A match between the Senegalese African champions and the Netherlands which will be the first of the 2022 World Cup, on November 21. Kick-off scheduled for 1 p.m. local time, or 11 a.m. Paris time. To follow, England-Iran at 2 p.m. in group B, Qatar-Ecuador at 5 p.m. in group A and finally the match between the United States and the future winner of the last European play-off (Wales, Scotland or Ukraine) at 8 p.m.
Note that the Blues will compete the next day at 8 p.m. against Denmark. The final is set for December 18 at 4 p.m. in Lusail.
