The 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Qatar, is shaping up to be a historic and groundbreaking event in the world of soccer. This will be the first time that the World Cup has been held in the Middle East, and it will feature several innovative and exciting developments. Some of the interesting facts about the 2022 World Cup include: it will be held from November 21 to December 18 due to extreme heat in Qatar during the summer; it will use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system for the first time; it will be played in eight stadiums located in five host cities; and it will be the first World Cup to feature a fully-electric transportation fleet. These are just a few of the many interesting facts about the 2022 World Cup, which is sure to be a memorable event for soccer fans around the globe.
Here are a few interesting facts about the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Qatar:
- It will be the first time that the World Cup has been held in the Middle East.
- The tournament will be held from November 21 to December 18, which is later in the year than usual due to the extreme heat in Qatar during the summer months.
- The tournament will feature 32 teams, the same number as previous World Cups.
- For the first time, the World Cup will use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system to help officials make decisions during matches.
- The tournament will be played in eight stadiums located in five host cities: Lusail, Al-Khor, Al-Rayyan, Al-Wakrah, and Doha.
- The final match will be held at the Lusail Iconic Stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 86,000.
- The tournament will be the last to feature 32 teams, as the 2026 World Cup will expand to 48 teams.
- The 2022 World Cup will also be the first to feature a fully-electric transportation fleet, with all buses and service vehicles powered by electricity.
- Qatar beat out the United States, Australia, South Korea, and Japan to win the bid to host the World Cup.
- The tournament will be the last to be held in a 32-team format, as the 2026 World Cup (which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico) will expand to 48 teams.
- The tournament logo was designed by a Qatari artist and features a traditional woolen handicraft known as a “gahfiya” worn by Arab men, as well as the shape of the tournament trophy.
- The official slogan for the tournament is “You Are Invited,” which was chosen to reflect the hospitality and welcoming nature of the Qatari people.
- The tournament mascot is a desert-dwelling creature called “Zakumi,” which was inspired by the fennec fox, a native animal of the Arabian Desert.
- The tournament will be broadcast in over 220 countries, reaching an estimated global audience of more than 3.5 billion people.
- The winner of the 2022 World Cup will receive a cash prize of $38 million, with the runner-up receiving $28 million and the third-place team receiving $24 million.