The FIFA Men’s World Cup is the most prestigious tournament held in the world. It has brought football fans from around the world together since the first tournament in 1930 to watch the teams compete against each other for the prize.
The World Cup, organised by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), is a quadrennial tournament that determines football's world champion.
World Cup History
Before the FIFA world cup was established, the football tournament within the Summer Olympics was most prestige. However, when the game started to transition out of Olympic spirit FIFA made plans to organise a World Cup.
The championship has been awarded every four years since the first official tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held due to World War II.
The current world cup winners are France, who won for the second time at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The World Cup consists of international tournaments, which lead to a final elimination made up of 32 national teams.
1930's World Cup
The first game in World Cup History was played in Uruguay, 1930.
The host country Uruguay was favourite to win, having won both Paris Olympics in 1924 and Amsterdam Olympics in 1928. Their oldest rival, Argentina, had also won the Championships in South America in 1929, this rivalry was expressed in the audience with the majority of guests booing the opposing team.
All the matches were played in stadiums in the capital Montevideo, with the final being played at Estadio Centenario.
Yugoslavia and the USA surprised many viewers by winning their group and progressing onto the semi finals. Uruguay would then go onto beat Yugoslavia, after beating Romania and Peru in their match.
In the final Uruguay faced Argentina and they pulled off another victory with four goals against two after Argentina had the lead.
The football players of Uruguay renewed their status as the pride of the nation.
Since then, 21 World Cup tournaments have been held and won by eight teams. Brazil winning five times, and are the only team to have played a game in every tournament.
Other World Cup winners are Germany and Italy, who have four titles each. Argentina, France, and Uruguay, have two titles each. England and Spain, with one win each.
What is the Selection process?
Qualification Phase
The current format involves a qualification phase, that has been in place since the second World Cup in 1934. The qualification phase can start as early as over three years prior to the next World cup, this is to determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase.
In the tournament phase, the 32 qualified teams compete for the title at venues within the host nation over about a month, this includes the host nation who automatically qualifies.
Host Nation
The host nation is chosen in a vote by FIFA's council, and done so under an exclusive ballot system. The football association of the country who desires to host the event receives a "Hosting Agreement" from FIFA, with the steps and requirements expected to make a strong bid.
The decision on the hosts of the next World Cup is usually made up to seven years in advance of the tournament.
World Cup Qatar 2022
The 2022 World cup will be the first time the finals have a Muslim host country, and there will also be a change of schedule.
The games will be held across eight stadiums in five cities at the 2022 World Cup, all within 46 miles of each other, meaning no internal flights for the fans, media and players. Organisers of the Qatar 2022 World cup have been creative in the range of accommodation they are offering during this time.
Al-Nuaimi added: "The Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 will bring with it the biggest influx of sports fans the region has ever seen - introducing them to Arab culture and traditions. It's an unprecedented opportunity to project a true image of the Arab world as a welcoming, peaceful, and hospitable region."
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What teams are in World Cup 2022?
Before the expansion to 48 nations for the 2026 World Cup, the Qatari World cup represents the final tournament with 32 teams.
Including the hosts Qatar, we already know 15 of the competing teams at the 2022 World Cup, and the remaining 17 spots are going to fill up quickly over the coming months
Those who have currently qualified are:
- Qatar
- Germany
- Denmark
- Brazil
- France
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Spain
- Serbia
- England
- Switzerland
- Netherlands
- Argentina
- Iran
- South Korea
When is the draw?
The English football team, the Three Lions qualified and have booked their place in the World Cup tournament already. With Wales and Scotland still in the play-offs to determine whether they qualify to play in the tournament. Northern Ireland failed to qualify.
If Wales and Scotland qualify for the World Cup, the three Home teams, as well as all remaining qualifiers will find out the group stage draw in April 2022
When do tickets go on sale?
The first ticket sales of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 began with a random selection draw period on 19 January 2022.
Ticket prices for residents planning to attend the World cup started at 40 Qatari riyals (£8), the cheapest for locals since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
For international supporters, ticket prices started at 250 riyals (£50), one-third less than the tickets for Russia's World Cup 2018. The cheapest seats on general sale internationally to watch the hosts open the World Cup on November 21 cost 1,100 riyals (£223).
A ticket for the December 18 final at Lusail Stadium costs 5,850 riyals (£1,187), up 46 percent from the 2018 final.Fans who are applying up until February 8th will then go into a draw with those who are successful to be notified by March 8th.
How many fans are expected and where can I stay?
Organisers of the World Cup estimate that there will be about 1.5 million fans attending the tournament. However, there are only 175,000 rooms for tourists in the country.
This total is made up of traditional hotels, serviced apartments and villas, managed by 10,000 memebers of staff.
In 2019, the hosts, Qatar, signed a deal with a cruise company to lease two luxury liners, or 'Floating Hotels', to be docked in Doha port during the tournament. This provides a further 4,000 cabins for visitors.
Those who wish to make the most of Qatar's hot weather, can stay in one of the two tented villages being built in the desert. There is also the option to stay in Qatars neighbour, the United Arab Emirates, and catch the 70 minute flight from Dubai to Doha for the games.
Will drink be allowed at the FIFA world cup?
The consumption of alcohol is not part of the local culture in Qatar, as it is prohibited in Islam.
However, alcohol will be served in select areas in each stadium. Those who wish to enjoy a drink outwith the stadium, can find bars at some of the higher-end hotels in Qatar.
Visitors are asked to respect the country's traditions, by not drinking in general public spaces. The UK governments guidance states that it is an offence to publicly drink and be drunk in public in Qatar. If you are caught drinking or drunk in a public space, you could end up with a fine or a prison sentence of up to six months.
![Beer glasses clinking together]()
What is the dress code in Qatar?
Qatar is an extremely diverse country.
People from many different countries work and live in Qatar, locals are dressed in traditional thobes and abayas.
Tourists have been informed they are free to embrace their clothing, as long as it respects Qatari culture, and is modest.
Tourists are expected to wear more conservative clothing in in places such as government buildings, national museums and Doha's Souq Waqif marketplace. If they are wearing less formal attire, such as beach wear, at these places, it is likely they will be asked to cover up.
There are only a handful of months before another men's FIFA World Cup. The 2022 World Cup will be the first tournament hosted in the Middle East, being held in Qatar, and the first to be held at the end of the year in November and December.
Stick with Tournamentfootball.co.uk to keep up to date with all the upcoming World Cup 2022 news, including further insight into the Qualifications, Schedule and the draw. As well as all things Fantasy Football for the forthcoming event.