WORLD CUP 2022 DATES
As the pages of the calendar gradually turn, the 2022 FIFA World Cup draws ever closer. The full schedule of the tournament’s group stage has long been finalised, so it’s up to you to book your front-row seat to the action at LV BET.
The much-anticipated tournament kicks off on November 20. Both local and international fans will be flocking to Qatar — the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup — but not without a detailed agenda on which teams to look out for.
- World Cup 2022 format
- World Cup 2022 kick-off times, dates and venues
2022 WORLD CUP FORMAT
A good 32 teams will partake in this glorious display of international football. There will be eight groups consisting of four teams each:
- Group A
- Group B
- Group C
- Group D
- Group E
- Group F
- Group G
- Group H
Group stage: November 21 – December 2
A total of six matches will be played between the four nations, of which only two will qualify for the knockout rounds of the World Cup. This places the total number of teams to qualify for the knockout stages at 16.
Four matches will be spread across a day during the group stages, with the only matches overlapping being the fixtures on the final day of the group stage.
Round of 16: December 3 – December 6
Teams will then play each other just once (going to extra time and penalties if the game is tied). There will be no home and away fixtures, unlike the UEFA Champions League, for example.
Quarter-Finals: December 9 – December 10
Semi-Finals: December 13 – December 14
Third-place match: December 17
Thibaut Courtois didn’t mince words regarding Belgium’s third-place fixture in the 2020 Nations League.
“It’s a useless game. I don’t know why we are playing; it’s like a training match,” the Real Madrid shot-stopped complained.
As every LV BET punter well knows, there is no such thing as a useless game of football — especially with the markets offered here.
Final: December 18
The most important game of the tournament will happen just one week before Christmas day. Will reigning champions France repeat their 2018 World Cup glory, or will it be another nation to take the prestigious trophy home?
2022 WORLD CUP: GROUP STAGE MATCHES
With less than a month at its disposal, the 2022 Qatar World Cup will kick things off in full throttle. Below, you can find the kick-off times of each group.
(Each kick-off time mentioned below is described in GMT).
GROUP A
Monday, November 21 Senegal VS Netherlands 10 AM (GMT) Al Thumama
Monday, November 21, Qatar VS Ecuador 4 PM (GMT) Al Bayt
Friday, November 25, Qatar VS Senegal 1 PM (GMT) Al Thumama
Friday, November 25, Netherlands VS Ecuador 4 PM (GMT) Khalifa International
Tuesday, November 29, Netherlands VS Qatar 3 PM (GMT) Al Bayt
Tuesday, November 29, Ecuador VS Senegal 3 PM (GMT) Khalifa International
The Netherlands group will host the hosts; that is, Qatar. Along with them will be African champions Senegal and South American Ecuador — two nations with very different aspirations.
Senegal vs the Netherlands in Al Thumama will be the first match of the World Cup in Qatar 1 — quite the ice-breaker for this majestic tournament.
GROUP B
Monday, November 21, England VS Iran 1 PM (GMT) Khalifa International
Monday, November 21, USA VS Wales 7 PM (GMT) Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Friday, November 25, Wales VS Iran 10 AM (GMT), Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Friday, November 25, England VS USA 7 PM (GMT), Al Bayt
Tuesday, November 29, Wales VS England 7 PM (GMT), Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Tuesday, November 29, Iran VS USA 7 PM (GMT), Al Thumama
The Wales group will feature Iran, England and the USA. We’re looking at a very level playing field, with England being the likely favourites to progress to the knockout stages of the World Cup.
GROUP C
Tuesday, November 22, Argentina VS Saudi Arabia 10 AM (GMT), Lusail
Tuesday, November 22, Mexico VS Poland 4 PM (GMT), Stadium 974
Saturday, November 26, Poland VS Saudi Arabia 1 PM (GMT), Education City
Saturday, November 26, Argentina VS Mexico 7 PM (GMT), Lusail
Wednesday, November 30, Poland VS Argentina 7 PM (GMT), Stadium 974
Wednesday, November 30, Saudi Arabia VS Mexico 7 PM (GMT), Lusail
The Poland group will feature some of the less glamorous sides of the World Cup, but it will also feature highflyers Argentina and Poland.
GROUP D
Tuesday, November 22, Denmark Vs Tunisia at 1 PM (GMT), Education City
Tuesday, November 22, France VS Australia at 7 PM (GMT), Al Janoub Stadium
Saturday, November 26, Tunisia VS Australia at 10 AM (GMT), Al Janoub Stadium
Saturday, November 26, France VS Denmark at 4 PM (GMT), Stadium 974
Wednesday, November 30, Tunisia VS France at 3 PM (GMT), Education City
Wednesday, November 30, Australia VS Denmark at 3 PM (GMT), Al Janoub Stadium
Denmark, Tunisia, France and Australia. Group D will be a typical World Cup Qatar group in which two formidable sides (France and Denmark) will look to avoid missteps against two of the weakest sides in the tournament (Australia and Tunisia).
Group D big dogs France are set to sail safely towards the knockout stages of the tournament. Can Tunisia, Denmark and Australia pose enough of a challenge to the defending champions?
France boasts enough of a stellar squad to comfortably see things through, but there is no saying what hurdles the nation might find in its way.
GROUP E
Wednesday, November 23, Germany VS Japan at 1 PM (GMT), Khalifa International
Wednesday, November 23, Spain VS Costa Rica at 4 PM (GMT), Al Thumama
Sunday, November 27, Japan VS Costa Rica at 10 AM (GMT), Ahmad Bin Ali
Sunday, November 27, Spain VS Germany at 7 PM (GMT), Al Bayt
Thursday, December 1, Japan VS Spain at 7 PM (GMT), Khalifa International
Thursday, December 1, Costa Rica VS Germany 7 PM (GMT), Al Bayt
The Japan group will feature two of the world’s best footballing nations: Germany and Spain.
Spain vs Germany must be the epitome of group games, so mark your calendar to avoid missing out on this superb Group E matchup.
Costa Rica seems to be the weakest link of Group E, but who knows if the Central American nation can replicate its 2014 World Cup quarter-finals finish?
The first game of Group E is also one worth keeping an eye on. Japan has quite a few strong players that can contend with the Germans, even though other areas of the field are less talent-laden.
GROUP F
Wednesday, November 23 Morocco VS Croatia at 10 AM (GMT), Al Bayt
Wednesday, November 23, Belgium VS Canada at 7 PM (GMT), Ahmad Bin Ali
Sunday, November 27, Belgium VS Morocco at 1 PM (GMT), Al Thumama
Sunday. November 27 Croatia VS Canada at 4 PM (GMT), Khalifa International
Thursday, December 1, Croatia VS Belgium at 3 PM (GMT), Ahmad Bin Ali
Thursday, December 1, Canada VS Morocco 3 PM (GMT), Al Thumama
Perhaps one of the most balanced groups in the 2022 World Cup is Group F. The Croatia group will feature Belgium, Canada and Morrocco, apart from the 2018 World Cup finalists.
Canada seems to be the only weak nation in Group F. With the scoops of talent in the Belgian and Croatian ranks, as well as the formidable Morocco side, Group F can really surprise us with a banger of a match.
GROUP G
Thursday, November 24, Switzerland VS Cameroon at 10 AM (GMT), Al Janoub Stadium
Thursday, November 24, Brazil VS Serbia at 7 PM (GMT), Lusail
Monday, November 28, Cameroon VS Serbia at 10 AM (GMT), Al Janoub Stadium
Monday, November 28, Brazil VS Switzerland at 4 PM (GMT), Stadium 974
Friday, December 2, Cameroon VS Brazil at 7 PM (GMT), Lusail
Friday, December 2, Serbia VS Switzerland at 7 PM (GMT), Stadium 974
Another balanced group is none other than Group G. The Cameroon group will host Switzerland and Serbia, along with the star-laden Brazilian team.
Brazil is among the favourites to win the 2022 World Cup. With a combined squad value of around €1bn (as per Transfermarkt), there are no doubts that the South American nation will want to bag its sixth World Cup title.
Among the nations to look out for in Group G is Serbia. Television audiences around that part of the world are eager to witness a performance of a lifetime, and that might be possible with key players the likes of Dušan Vlahović and Sergej Milinković-Savić.
GROUP H
Thursday, November 24, Uruguay VS South Korea at 1 PM (GMT), Education City
Thursday, November 24, Portugal VS Ghana at 4 PM (GMT), Stadium 974
Monday, November 28, South Korea VS Ghana at 1 PM (GMT), Education City
Monday, November 28, Portugal VS Uruguay at 7 PM (GMT), Lusail
Friday, December 2, South Korea VS Portugal at 3 PM (GMT), Education City
Friday, December 2, Ghana VS Uruguay at 3 PM (GMT), Al Janoub Stadium
The last of the list is Group H, which will feature Portugal, South Korea, Ghana and Uruguay. All four teams will be looking to make things happen in the Middle East, especially Portugal.
We’ll see quite a talented crop of players tussling for glory in Group H, namely Cristiano Ronaldo, Son Heung-min and Darwin Núñez, among many others.
2022 WORLD CUP: ROUND OF 16 MATCHES
(49) Saturday, December 3, Winners of Group A VS Runners-up of Group B, at 3 PM, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan
(50) Saturday, December 3, Winners of Group C VS Runners-up of Group D, at 7 PM, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan
(52) Sunday, December 4, Winners of Group D VS Runners-up of Group C, at 3 PM, Al Thumama Stadium, Doha
(51) Sunday, December 4, Winners of Group B VS Runners-up of Group A, at 7 PM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
(53) Monday, December 5, Winners of Group E VS Runners-up of Group F, at 3 PM, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah
(54) Monday, December 5, Winners of Group G VS Runners-up of Group H, at 7 PM, Stadium 974, Doha
(55) Tuesday, December 6, Winners of Group F VS Runners-up of Group E, at 3 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan
(56) Tuesday, December 6, Winners of Group H VS Runners-up of Group G, at 7 PM, Lusail Iconic Stadium
WORLD CUP 2022: QUARTER-FINALS
(58) Friday, December 9, Winners of 53 VS Winners of 54, at 3 PM, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan
(57) Friday, December 9, Winners of 49 VS Winners of 50, at 7 PM, Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail
(60) Saturday, December 10, Winners of 55 VS Winners of 56, at 3 PM, Al Thumama Stadium
(59) Saturday, December 10, Winners of 51 VS Winners of 52, at 7 PM, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor
WORLD CUP 2022: SEMI-FINALS
(61) Tuesday, December 13, Winners of 57 VS Winners of 58, at 7 PM, Lusail Iconic Stadium
(62) Wednesday, December 14, Winners of 59 VS Winners of 60, at 7 PM, Al Bayt Stadium
(63) Saturday, December 17, Third place play-off, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan
WORLD CUP 2022: FINAL
Sunday, December 18, at 3 PM, Lusail
BET ON THE WORLD CUP 2022 AT LV BET
The 2022 World Cup will kick off shortly, so keep your finger on the pulse of this sensational tournament through LV BET’s vast betting markets.
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