England vs Iran World Cup venue: where will Qatar 2022 match be played? Khalifa International Stadium capacity

England’s opening fixture at the World Cup 2022 will take place at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar
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The 2022 World Cup is only a few weeks away and Gareth Southgate will be making his final decisions on who to take to the Middle East ahead of the quadrennial competition.

England recently ended their open-play goal drought after drawing with Germany 3-3 in the final Nations League fixture. They had already been knocked out of the tournament by Italy - a team who won’t even be playing in this year’s World Cup - but the light at the end of what has been a relatively bleak tunnel in recent months was seen when Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Harry Kane all found the net at Wembley.

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Southgate has however been faced with huge squad dilemmas, made even more tricky after the latest Champions League fixtures which saw Chelsea’s Reece James substituted after 62 minutes following a leg injury.

This latest injury update followed other concerning news that Trent Alexander-Arnold had suffered an ankle injury during Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Arsenal. The Anfield star who has previously been called “the best right-back in the world” will now face a race against time to ensure he is match fit ready for the selection announcement due to take place before the final round of Premier League fixtures, 13-14 November.

On top of that, another defender, Kyle Walker, is also in doubt to miss the competition - a key part of England’s back three, the Man City speedster’s absence could see the Three Lions’ already shaky defence cruely exposed in Qatar.

England will play their opening fixture at the historic Khalifa International Stadium against Iran and here is all you need to know about the Qatari ground...

When is England v Iran?

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England will face Iran in their opening World Cup fixture on Monday 21 November 2022. Kick-off is scheduled for 1pm (GMT) and will be the first of three group stage fixtures the two sides will partake in.

Khalifa International stadium ahead of Qatar World CupKhalifa International stadium ahead of Qatar World Cup
Khalifa International stadium ahead of Qatar World Cup

What is the capacity of the Khalifa International Stadium?

One of the larger grounds in use at this year’s tournament, the Khalifa International has a capacity of 45,416. It was first built in 1976 but has undergone several renovations with the most recent taking place ahead of the World Cup.

The current version, as seen today, was launched in May 2017 and it is now part of the Doha Sports City Complex.

Where is the Khalifa International Stadium?

It is located in-land from the famous Doha coastline near the Ar-Rayyan region of the capital. As part of the Doha Sports City Complex, the multi-purpose stadium also includes the Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre and the Aspire Tower.

What is the Khalifa International’s history?

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First opened in 1976, the stadium is named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s former Emir. In 1993, the stadium hosted all 15 games of the Gulf Cup which saw Qatar win for the first time. It was then renovated and expanded in 2005 in order to host the 2006 Asian Games with its capacity going from 20,000 to 40,000 seats.

The stadium has mostly been used for association football matches and is the home to the Qatari national football team but has also hosted track and field competitions.

After another redevelopment in May 2017, it was then fit to host the 2019 World Athletics Championships and was later that year the host of the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup.

How many matches will it host at the World Cup?

Along with England v Iran, the Khalifa International will host a further five group stage fixtures:

  • Germany vs Japan - 23 November 2022
  • Netherlands vs Ecuador - 25 November 2022
  • Croatia vs Canada - 27 November 2022
  • Ecuador vs Senegal - 29 November 2022
  • Japan vs Spain - 1 December 2022

It will also host the one round of 16 match (3 December 2022) and the third place play-off on 17 December 2022.

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