World Cup 2022: Supporters' Notes

The World Cup in 2022 will be a soccer tournament unlike any other seen before it. For a start, all matches will be played in November and December which is a change to the usual schedule which crams the World Cup group matches through to the final into a four-week period between June and July. That new schedule will impact soccer leagues and competitions in Europe and across planet football as they will be forced into a winter break lasting, at least, four weeks.

Why change the schedule when it has worked so well for so long? The reason for the late start is due to the tournament being held in Qatar. The region’s dangerously high temperatures during the summer months often make leaving the house difficult, never mind playing 90 minutes unshaded. When Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2022 it was quickly realised that changes had to be made.

While following the action on TV and through the various live streaming apps that are available, you’ll be watching history being made. This will be the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Arab world. We have assembled a team of soccer experts who have gathered all the World Cup 2022 information you need as a supporter to ensure you get the full enjoyment from next winter’s spectacle of sport. From the teams to look out for to how you can gamble on the matches at leading sportsbook betonline, we have you covered.

When, Where and Who

Qatar 2022 will begin with the opening ceremony and the first game of the group stages on 21 November. The final is penned in for 18 December and between those dates, we’ll enjoy the group matches, knockout rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final to decide the champion of the world. 32 teams from six confederations will be represented at the FIFA World Cup with the games split between eight venues in five host cities.

At the time of writing, not all spots have been taken with some European nations still to meet in a playoff semi-final and final after finishing as runners up in their qualifying groups. Other areas, such as Africa and South America are yet to complete qualifying. That doesn’t mean you can’t get in early and bag a nice price on the team you expect to win the trophy. A few nations have already secured their place in Qatar and the early arrivals read like a who’s who of world football.

Some of the teams you will see playing at World Cup 2022 include host nation Qatar, European Cup runners up England, France, Belgium and Spain. These teams are expected to be joined by Brazil and Argentina shortly with the best of Africa and other confederations putting the finishing touches to their qualifying campaigns.

Who the Bookies are Backing?

Despite the final line-up for Qatar 2022 still being a few months away, traders at major online bookies haven’t let that stop them from making their predictions. The standout betting apps offer outright betting odds on the winner next winter and they have some famous teams near the head of the list. The early favourites include Brazil, France, Spain and England. The Samba Boys are favourite with most respected bookies, but Europe enters with a strong hand, and the winner could come from that section.

You can predict which team will win the World Cup and get your stake down, or you could bide your time and play one of the many specials planned. The closer we get to November 2022, the more World Cup betting matches you’ll discover. Some of the delights to stay on the lookout for include top goal scorer, group winners, stage of elimination, name the finalists, to make the final, country top scorer, top scorer/outright double and plenty more. There’s a bet for everyone at Qatar 2022.

Traders will also be offering odds on every match played next winter. There will be over 100 pre-match and in-play, allowing registered members of bookies to gamble on the outcome of their favourite games. Predict the match winner, correct score, both teams to score, handicap, total goals and more.