🔴 LIVE: Qatar World Cup kicks off

🌟 World Cup 2022 kick-off
✳ TODAY
⚽ Opening ceremony 5.30pm
⚽ Qatar vs Ecuador 7pm
✳ TOMORROW
⚽ England vs Iran 4pm
⚽ Senegal vs Netherlands 7pm
⚽ USA vs Wales 10pm

Doha, Qatar | THE INDEPENDENT & AGENCIES | The first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle East and Arab world, kicks off with an elaborate opening ceremony starting shortly. It is also the first World Cup to be played outside the traditional months of June and July, and promises a lot of surprises.

A sparkling opening ceremony inside the Bedouin-tent inspired Al Bayt Stadium will invite the world to come together in Qatar. According to FIFA, the 30-minute show will be full of surprises, with the main act featuring a performance of Dreamers – another hit single on the FIFA World Cup Official Soundtrack – by celebrated South Korean pop star Jung Kook of BTS and Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi.

The opening ceremony was initially slated for November 21, after two games had already been played, but it was moved forward along with the first match between Qatar and Ecuador in order to maintain the tradition of the first game featuring the hosts.

FIFA and the organisers have outlined a seven-act programme will be led by world class talents that interlace Qatari tradition with worldwide culture. It will include tributes to the 32 competing teams, previous FIFA World Cup hosts and event volunteers. Along with hundreds of performers, FIFA World Cup Ambassador Ghanim Al Muftah and Qatari singer Dana will encourage dialogue on inclusion and diversity.

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Hosts Qatar will face South American Nation, Ecuador in the opening fixture. The opening ceremony will take place at the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium, which is located 40 kilometers north of Doha’s northeastern coastal city of Al Khor.

Sunday will be a significant day and all eyes will be on Qatar national team in its first participation in World Cup competitions.

Hundreds of thousands of fans have already descended on Qatar to cheer their teams as the world’s football heavyweights square off for this year’s silverware. Thirty-two countries across all continents are warming for this year’s edition of the tournament.

Cameroon, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, and Ghana will represent Africa at the tournament and all five countries have previously appeared in football’s biggest tournament. Defending champions France, Brazil, and Argentina, enter the competition as favorites to lift the trophy.

The 64 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2022 tournament will be played in 8 stadia including Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Stadium 974, Education City Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium.