The 2022 FIFA World Cup for men will start in Qatar one day earlier than originally planned, allowing the host nation to play Ecuador in the tournament's first match. FIFA, the world's governing body for football, made the announcement in an official statement on Thursday.
The tournament will now start on November 20 instead of November 21, when three games were scheduled; Senegal vs. the Netherlands was originally scheduled to open the competition. This decision was made by the Bureau of the FIFA Council in unanimity.
The host nation Qatar will now play Ecuador on Sunday, November 20, at 19:00 as part of a stand-alone event, according to a statement from FIFA. "The FIFA World Cup 2022 will kick off with an even greater celebration for local and international fans," the statement read.
The choice will guarantee "the preservation of a long-standing tradition" in which the host nation or the reigning champion team plays in the opening World Cup match.
According to the statement, it "followed a rigorous consultation process and an agreement with key stakeholders and the host country, as well as an assessment of the competitiveness and operational implications.
This change has caused the match between Senegal and the Netherlands to be moved from the afternoon of November 21 to the evening. The player release window, which starts on November 14, won't change, though.
A further statement from FIFA stated that "ticket holders will be duly notified by email that the relevant matches have been rescheduled and their tickets will remain valid irrespective of the new date/time."
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy of the Qatar 2022 World Cup announced their approval for the choice in a statement on Friday.
"FIFA evaluated how this decision might affect supporters. We'll cooperate to make sure the fans impacted by the move have a seamless tournament "It read.
"Qatar is ready with only 100 days left. A historic FIFA Planet Cup edition will soon be welcomed by the entire world."
The new dates for the competition are November 20–December 18.
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