FIFA World Cup 2022

Sports apparel maker Hummel said it has "toned down" Denmark's national team jersey for the World Cup, and introduced a black third kit in the "color of mourning," in protest at rights abuses in Qatar. The Danish national football team will wear a "toned down" kit at this year's World Cup in protest at Qatar's human rights record, sportswear company Hummel said on Wednesday.  Its announcement elicited a furious response from the Gulf state.  Hummel posted two images on social media, firstly of a muted jersey in Denmark's traditional red, with the logo of the company and of the Danish federation barely visible. Distinctive features like the kit maker's famous chevrons were also toned down. But the company also said it had introduced a black third jersey for Denmark, calling it "the color of mourning." "While we support the Danish national team all the way, this shouldn't be confused with support for a tournament that h...

  DOHA: The countdown is almost over, with the first teams due to take the pitch at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in less than two months’ time. Fans who have not yet secured their seats – or who want to add even more fantastic contests to their schedule – will have another opportunity to do so with the start of the last-minute sales phase on Tuesday, 27 September at 11 AM CET / 12 PM local time.  Tickets can be purchased at FIFA.com/tickets on a first-come, first-served basis and will be subject to availability. This sales phase will run until the end of the tournament. While demand has been high and the initial inventory is expected to sell out quickly, fans should check FIFA.com/tickets on a regular basis, as additional batches of tickets will be made available through further releases and resales, which will re-launch in due course.  Individual match tickets will be available in all four price categories, with category 4 tickets reserved for residents of Qatar. Custo...

  Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, better known as Kaka, has swapped his football boots for running shoes ahead of a marathon in Berlin this weekend, but he is already looking beyond that to the World Cup. Kaka has been preparing for the race for three years and will take it on alongside his brother Rodrigo. He spoke to MARCA exclusively in Berlin before the marathon took place on Sunday morning. Question : The first is an almost obvious question: Why does he run? A: I always liked coaching and when I left professional football I continued to do it but the truth is that I no longer had a goal. It was after talking to some people in Brazil that I decided to run a marathon. Q. Will there be other marathons after this debut? A. I don't know. What I want to do is finish this first one and then we'll see because the last two months of training have been very hard. Q. What is the difference between playing a Champions League match and running a marathon? A. The pressure is differen...

  In the past 25 years, Paul Clegg has travelled to several countries to watch the England football team play. He has already ticked three World Cups off his list and is now gearing up for his fourth in Qatar. Like the previous editions, he plans to track England's journey through the tournament and has purchased tickets for their matches all the way until the finals, if they qualify. The only challenge for him is that he is not sure where he is going to sleep for most of the tournament. "I've just booked a room for the first four nights and I am paying a lot for it. I haven't found any reasonably priced options, so I am not sure where will I be staying after that," he says. Paul is not alone in his struggle - thousands of others are facing the same problem. The BBC spoke to more than two dozen fans who still have not managed to book any accommodation. With less than two months to go, their concerns are growing. The World Cup is expected to attract more than one m...

  England manager Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane believe there is a limit to how much players can protest human rights issues at the World Cup in Qatar later this year. Kane will join forces with the skippers of seven other European nations in wearing a "one love" armband featuring a multi-coloured heart. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and organisers have sought to reassure rights groups that same-sex couples will not face action at the tournament, which starts on November 20. The English Football Association also announced on Wednesday that Southgate's players will meet with migrant workers after their arrival in the Gulf state. Human rights groups this week urged more sponsors of the World Cup to support calls for compensation for workers and their families over alleged abuses during construction projects for the tournament. "There is not a lot more the players in particular can do other than talk about those issues and put them on the table," said...

  Qatar is to shut its borders to anyone not attending the World Cup, between November 1 and December 23. All land, sea and air borders will effectively to be shut to anyone not holding the Hayya Card – the fan ID issued by the government to anyone attending matches during the World Cup. The event begins on November 20 and ends of December 18, and Hayya Card holders can stay in the country until January 23. The closure will not affect Qatari citizens, residents, GCC citizens holding a Qatari ID card, and anyone with a personal or work visa. But it means anyone planning to visit the country for tourism purposes not related to the World Cup will not be able to enter. FIFA has sold 2.45 million of the three million tickets available, with thousands of fans expected to start arriving from mid-November. Qatar is to shut its borders to anyone not attending the World Cup, between November 1 and December 23. All land, sea and air borders will effectively to be shut to anyone not holding th...

Authorities in Qatar have announced entry and exit regulations to and from the country during the Fifa World Cup, including the suspension of entry for visitors effective from November 1, 2022. Col. Jassim Al Sayed, Executive Director, Office of the Commander of the Tournament Security Operations, explained that Hayya Card holders will be allowed to enter the country during this period. They can also stay in the country till January 23, 2023. The Hayya Card is a Fan ID issued by the government of Qatar for fans with match tickets for the 2022 Fifa World Cup. rig. Abdulla Khalifa Al-Muftah, Director of Public Relations Dept and head of Media Unit, Security Committee, said entry for anyone without the Hayya Card to the country through its air, land and marine borders will be suspended until December 23 this year. The decision, however, will not affect exempted categories such as Qatari citizens, residents and GCC citizens holding a Qatari ID card, holders of personal visas and work entry...

  When the England team arrive at Al Bayt stadium for their match against the USA in just over two months, they will be met by a stunning 60,000-seat arena built to resemble a nomadic tent.  The stadium, arguably Qatar’s finest, will host matches from the opening game through to the semi-finals. If England win their group and reach that far, they will play four games at the ground. Just as impressive is the pristine park surrounding the stadium. Manicured lawns are dotted with fountains, streams and a lake. Ducks play in the cool water. A running track winds its way around the stadium passing a number of immaculate training pitches with grass like a putting green. Yet the men who labour day after day in the relentless heat and humidity to maintain this remarkable green space – watering the grounds, cutting the grass and painstakingly pulling up weeds by hand – live in very different conditions. At the end of each shift, they are driven for 40 minutes to the edge of the desert,...

  The UAE stands to be a winner at the Qatar World Cup if an overspill of fans floods its hotels, restaurants and planes. With little investment the UAE, and in particular Dubai, stands to gain if, as expected, supporters opt to stay in the tourism hotspot instead of tiny Gulf neighbour Qatar during the November-December tournament. High accommodation prices in the Qatari capital Doha could entice fans, experts say. Budget airline flydubai will run at least 30 return flights a day to Doha, just an hour away, part of a daily airlift of 160 shuttle services from cities in the resource-rich Gulf. Dubai Sports Council has estimated about a million World Cup fans could arrive in the city. Qatar is expecting a similar number. For the rush, Dubai is gearing up with fan zones announced at parks, beaches and in the financial centre, while hotels are offering special packages. Such deals include shuttle flights and transport to the airport and fan zones. The UAE is also offering multiple-ent...

Luis Enrique has announced the list of those called to the Spanish National Team for the two preparation matches for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which will be played in November and December of this year. The main surprise of 'La Roja' is the absence of Ansu Fati and Sergio Ramos. The former has been a regular in the coach's calls in recent times, while the PSG defender had not been playing football regularly since last season, but this season he has been returning to his best level, little by little. When asked why, of his decision, Luis Enrique replied: "It's great news to see Sergio Ramos after a year and a little. Now he competes and does it often and from there I can tell you what you want, but I think the best ones to play as central defenders are the central defenders that are here". The central defenders called on this occasion are: Eric García (Barcelona), Diego Llorente (Leeds United), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Hugo Guillamón (Valencia). These are the p...

  Seleção coach Fernando Santos has announced his squad for the final two matches of the Nations League group phase. There was particular interest in the list this time around given that it is the penultimate squad announcement before Santos reveals his World Cup squad. There were no major surprises, although the inclusion of Pedro Neto and Tiago Djaló raised some eyebrows, with the likes of Gonçalo Guedes, David Carmo and Gonçalo Inácio missing out.  “I started preparing a list with 55 names on it, and even so it was not easy, so imagine what it’s like having to choose 26,” said Santos. “It’s very difficult, fortunately, for Portugal and for me. “What would be bad would be having to select 26 but only having 20 or so players to choose from. It’s a headache, but it’s a good headache.” Santos also clarified that Renato Sanches and Otávio Monteiro were omitted because they were declared injured by Portugal’s medical department. Portugal play the Czech Republic in Prague on 24 Se...

England will face Italy and Germany in the UEFA Nations League on September 23 and 26, respectively - providing a final window of opportunity for periphery players to break into the manager's plans for the World Cup in November. Brentford striker Ivan Toney was handed his first call-up after a prolific start to the campaign, with Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin yet to play this term due to ongoing injury issues. Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is pushing for a starting berth after sustained success in the Bundesliga, while seasoned international Kieran Trippier is vying for a place among a catalogue of options at full-back. Meanwhile, several first-team players are struggling for form and minutes at their respective clubs and will be looking to cement berths, including Harry Maguire, Ben Chilwell, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice and Jack Grealish. England's 28-man squad Goalkeepers : Dean Henderson, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale. Defenders : Trent Alexander-Arnold, Be...

International Friendlies 2022: Brazil squad 2022 – Brazil have named their 26-player squad for the upcoming international break where they will face Ghana and Tunisia. Gleison Bremer and Roger Ibañez receive their first call ups whilst Arsenal trio, Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus miss out. Brazil coach Tite has included Flamengo striker Pedro as a new attacking option for the team’s pre-World Cup friendlies against Ghana and Tunisia in September. Pedro is the top scorer in this season’s Copa Libertadores with 12 goals and was picked Friday ahead of players such as Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus for the matches in France on September 23 and 27. Tite will also test two defenders he called up for the first time: Juventus’ Gleison Bremer and Roma’s Roger Ibañez. The other most notable absences in the squad for Brazil’s last friendlies before the final World Cup squad is announced were defender Dani Alves and midfielder Philippe Coutinho. Brazil is in Group G at the World Cup — whic...

  Almost three quarters of adults in the UK would support Fifa using World Cup revenue to compensate migrant workers who suffered during preparations for the tournament in Qatar, according to a new survey by Amnesty International. The YouGov poll also found that 70% wanted the Football Association to speak out on human rights issues associated with the event. Earlier this year the campaign group urged Fifa to set up a compensation fund of at least £350m for workers who have suffered "human rights abuses". The sum suggested is equal to the 2022 World Cup prize money fund. Amnesty says Fifa is expected to make an estimated £5bn from the tournament. It is estimated up to 30,000 migrant labourers have been used on projects to build seven stadiums for the finals in Qatar, as well as a new airport, new metro and new roads. However Amnesty says that since 2010, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers have faced human rights abuses while employed to build wider infrastructure necess...

  The Argentina World Cup 2022 squad is expected to be named in October, and manager Lionel Scaloni has hinted at who could be included with his squad for the September internationals. Argentina face Honduras and Jamaica in friendly matches later this month as their preparation for the showpiece event in Qatar continues. GK: Franco Armani (River Plate) G: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) G: Juan Musso (Atalanta) G: Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal) Defender: Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid) Defender: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla) Defender: German Pezzella (Real Betis) Defender: Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica) DF: Facundo Medina (Lens) Defender: Nehuen Perez (Udinese) Defender: Cristian Romero (Tottenham) Defender: Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United) Defender: Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon) Defender: Marcos Acuna (Sevilla) Defender: Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina) FM: Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis) MF: Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid) MF: Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen) MF: Alexis MacAllister (B...

Two months before Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, problems have already emerged on the country's newest and biggest venue. Lusail Stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000 and cost a reported $767 million to build, hosted its first match Friday — the Lusail Super Cup between Al Hilal of the Saudi Professional League and Zamalek of the Egyptian Premier League. Once the match ended, the stadium received a litany of poor reviews from fans who attended, according to Reuters and Doha News. Lack of hydration stations and bathrooms, poor air conditioning and long public transportation lines were the biggest issues fans had with the stadium where the World Cup final will be played on Dec. 18. Fan accounts from the match were fairly negative: "This is such a mess," Eslam, an Egyptian fan who lives in Qatar, told Reuters. "I don't want to go to the World Cup anymore. Not if it's like this." “I had to carry my young son because he was tired from walking and ...

  fter Sportsmail discovered fresh proof of a shocking player confession to using a fake birth certificate in an official investigation that the Ecuador Football Federation [FEF] covered up, Ecuador now risked being eliminated from the World Cup. The shocking information in FIFA's investigation into the Byron Castillo issue comes just days before their Appeals Commission is scheduled to rule on it on Thursday. It might change who Qatar will play in the World Cup's opening match and who England will play in the round of 16. Castillo, a right-back who made eight appearances in World Cup qualifying, is at the center of an intriguing case involving alleged phony identities and an apparent cover-up by the Ecuador Federation. It centers on whether Castillo was born within Ecuador or across the border in Colombia. Sportsmail today released an audio of an interview Castillo made to investigators four years ago. In this conversation, which will shock South American football and cause FI...

  There has been lots of talk in Mexico about certain Gerardo 'Tata' Martino's decisions ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His poor relationship with experienced striker Javier Hernandez, who is not in Martino's plans, has been the subject of debate throughout the season. Many fans have tried to persuade and convince the national team coach to change his decision, thanks in large part to Chicharito's from in the MLS. However, Martino does not seem willing to do so. Another forward who is always being talked is Carlos Vela. The LAFC player was a very important member of the Mexican national team, but he has not appeared in recent call-ups, although his situation is different from that of Chicharito, as it is a personal decision. During an interview with media outlet SDP Noticias, the former Real Sociedad forward revealed the reason why he doesn't want to be in Qatar in November. "It's not a matter of excitement," Vela said. "When I was avai...

  Argentina will face Mexico in one of the most sought-after tickets of the group stage at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. And it will do so in this Lusail Stadium, where MARCA was present on Friday to witness the Lusail Super Cup between the Saudi champions, Al Hilal, and the Egyptian champions, Zamalek. A match that will be the first international test of the impressive Lusail Stadium (80,000 capacity) before hosting 10 matches during the World Cup, including the aforementioned Mexico-Argentina match. The most curious thing about this match, given the irrelevance of the result for the Spanish public, is what we found outside the stadium. A large number of Qatari fans wearing Leo Messi's Argentina jersey, in a sign that the Argentinian star has won the battle of the local fans against other stars who will be present at the World Cup. Messi is one of the main symbols on the streets of Doha, both because of his association with the Argentinian national team and his involvement with...

  The $675 million stadium that Qatar will use for this year's World Cup final has been put through its first sellout test with a match between the Egyptian and Saudi champions. Seventy-two days from the start of the tournament, organisers said the 80,000-capacity Lusail Iconic Stadium was full for the pre-match concert on Friday by Egyptian superstar Amr Diab and the game in which Al Hilal beat Egyptians Al Zamalek on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Lusail was the last stadium to be officially inaugurated and Hassan Al-Thawadi, head of the Qatari organising committee, said it was "an emotional moment". "It is the culmination of a 13-year journey," he told beIN Sports. The stadium, shaped like a traditional Arabic bowl, is at the heart of a new city being built north of the tiny Gulf state's capital. It will host 10 World Cup matches, including the December 18 final. No more games are planned before the tournament starts on November 20 however. Security test run...

  Qatar residents will be able to put their houses and rooms up for rent to facilitate World Cup fans in an attempt to ease accommodation concerns for the football tournament, which kicks off on November 20. Until now, World Cup ticket holders were only able to book accommodation via the official Qatar Accommodations Agency (QAA), with options including, but not limited to, hotels, fan villages, official desert camps, two cruise ships, villas and apartments. Speaking on Thursday at Lusail Stadium, the venue for the World Cup final on December 18, Director General of the Special Committee for the World Cup Yasir al Jamal said ticket holders will be eligible to apply their Fan IDs or Hayya Card using a booking that is from a third-party source and not necessarily needing a reservation from the QAA or providing details about friends and families who live in the country. “We have done this to allow more people to apply for Hayya cards,” Jamal said. “In addition to this, we are also com...

  Alcohol will be served "in select areas within stadiums" at this year's Qatar World Cup, organisers have confirmed. The Fifa event will be taking place in a Muslim country in the Middle East for the first time, and the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Islam. A 40,000-capacity fan zone in the capital Doha has also been confirmed, where a drink can also be purchased. "We want people to come and have experiences they will never forget," CEO Nasser Al Khater told BBC Sport. Al Khater said they are still "finalising our alcohol strategy" but this is the first time the Supreme Committee for Legacy and Delivery have publicly announced plans to allow fans to drink within the stadium perimeter. Fifa have said ticket holders will have access to drink options within the stadium perimeter prior to kick-off and after the final whistle. Inside the stadium bowl ticket holders will only be able to purchase non-alcoholic beer and soft drinks. It marks a signif...

  The album costs 2 dollars, if you want the hardcover album the cost is 11.50, a box with 104 envelopes costs 84 dollars and each envelope with five stamps costs 1 dollar. That's 670 stamps in the album. Mathematician Paul Harper of Cardiff University calculated how much money it would cost to fill it. According to Harper you would have to buy 967 envelopes, if the envelope costs 1 dollar you would have already spent 967 dollars, but you could buy 8 boxes to get the envelopes, then you would spend 754 dollars. But, in addition you would be short another 31 envelopes, that is 31 dollars more. "The first figurine in the first package has a 638 out of 638 chance of finding its empty place in the album. As the album fills up, that probability drops until there is only one space left to fill, and now it is 1 out of 638, Harper said. In total, to fill the album by yourself without exchanging stamps you would spend about $876.55. Harper recommends trading stamps between two people, ...

Carlos Queiroz could be set for a dramatic return to take charge of Iran’s national team less than three months before the World Cup and Group B games with the United States, England and Wales. The former Real Madrid manager led Iran at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. According to reports in Tehran’s media on Monday, Queiroz could replace Dragan Skocic by the end of the week. Skocic has been head coach since early 2020 but his position has been in doubt since Aug. 30, when Mehdi Taj was voted back in as president of the Iranian Football Federation. Taj, who worked with Queiroz from 2016-19, said in a television interview that he’d seriously consider bringing the Portuguese tactician back if elected. After leading Iran through World Cup qualification, Skocic was dismissed on July 11 but was reinstated six days later. Queiroz has been available since April after failing to take Egypt’s national team to the World Cup. Egypt also lost the final of the African Nations Cup in January. Iran con...

 Qatar World Cup 2022 – in numbers Teams: 32 Playing venues: 8  Matches: 65 Opening match: Al Bayt Stadium Final: Lusail Stadium Average venue capacity: 47,500 seats Largest venue: Lusail Stadium (80,000 seats) Smallest venue: Multiple venues (40,000 seats) Average no. of matches per venue: 8.1 Lusail Lusail Stadium | Capacity: 80,000 seats | Opening: 2022 Matches: 5x Group Matches 1x Round of 16 1x Quarter-Final 1x Semi-Final Final Al Khor Al Bayt Stadium | Capacity: 60,000 seats | Opening: 2021 Matches: 5x Group Matches (incl. Opening Match) 1x Round of 16 1x Quarter-Final 1x Semi-Final Al Wakrah Al Janoub Stadium | Capacity: 40,000 seats | Opening: 2019 Matches: 5x Group Matches 1x Round of 16 Al Rayyan Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium | Capacity: 40,000 seats | Opening: 2020 Matches: 5x Group Matches 1x Round of 16 Doha Khalifa International Stadium | Capacity: 40,000 seats | Opening: 1976 Matches: 5x Group Matches 1x Round of 16 Match for Third Place Doha Education City Stadium | Ca...

  One of the questions from Qatar 2022 World Cup fans attendees was whether or not there was going to be alcohol available during the matches, being that the great event will be hosted by a mostly Muslim country. It will probably be very expensive Some fans who will be in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup can now relax and smile, as the sale of beer has been authorized for the sporting event that will begin in less than three months. FIFA and World Cup organizers have reached an agreement FIFA and the Qatar 2022 World Cup Organizing Committee reached an agreement and, after it was mentioned on several occasions that the sale of beer would be prohibited in the Muslim-majority country, it was announced today that it will be allowed. Budweiser will be sold FIFA informed that it will only be possible to buy Budweiser beer inside the eight stadiums, without alcohol, but not at the concession stands in the lobby, before and after the games, and only during the evenings at the official "Fan F...

An incredibly motivated group of over 16,000 volunteers, joined by thousands who followed online from around the world, gathered at the Lusail Stadium for the official orientation event – a festive ceremony featuring football legends and FIFA World Cup 2022™ top brass. The largest of the host venues for the upcoming FIFA World Cup™ served as a fitting backdrop for this important milestone gathering, which marked the first time that all selected volunteers were assembled together for the formal start of their training journey and a momentous opportunity to reflect on the road ahead. Eng. Yasir Al Jamal, Director General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) opened the event, welcoming the assembled volunteers to Lusail Stadium and thanking them for their significant contribution to the incredible fan experience ahead, and overall success of the FIFA World Cup™ The event-filled evening was aimed at building a greater sense of community and helping everyone become more f...

  Soccer’s governing body FIFA has chosen the occasion of the 2022 Qatar World Cup to launch an NFT-based (non-fungible token) collection of classic clips from the history of the international soccer tournament. FIFA+ Collect will launch later this month and allow soccer fans to own and trade “moments in time” featuring the greatest goals, saves, celebrations and more from World Cup and Women’s World Cup history, FIFA said. The FIFA World Cup NFT clips will be connected to the Algorand blockchain as part of a deal cemented back in May to be a Qatar 2022 blockchain partner and wallet provider. Classic moments in sport enshrined as digital assets helped drive NFTs into the mainstream, most notably in the form of NBA Top Shot, the basketball collectibles platform built by Dapper Labs, also the creators of CryptoKitties, the first NFT collection to gain traction on the Ethereum blockchain. “Fandom is changing and football fans around the world engage with the game in new and exciting w...