Major sports media outlets have reported that the organization wants to change the date from November 21, 2022, to November 20, 2022, so that the host country may host the opening match. FIFA has not yet released an official statement regarding the circulating rumor.
According to the FIFA-released fixtures calendar, the competition will kick off with a match between the European team, the Netherlands, and the African champions, Senegal. Qatar will play Ecuador in the first group game on Sunday, November 20, 2022, if FIFA confirms the story.
The host nation has taken part in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup in each of the previous four tournaments. In 2006, Germany overcame Costa Rica; in 2010, Mexico tied South Africa at 1; in 2014, Brazil defeated Croatia; and in 2018, Russia defeated Saudi Arabia.
Senegal defeated France in Korea/Japan 2002 in 2002, the last occasion a host nation skipped the competition’s first match.
FIFA will move the World Cup to start a day earlier, on November 20 instead of November 21, so that host nation Qatar can play first, per multiple reports pic.twitter.com/UhOrFAtmOI
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 10, 2022
