World Cup 2022: When does Qatar tournament start? Date, UK kick-off time, opening ceremony, and full schedule

The Qatar World Cup 2022 is fast approaching, with the biggest showpiece event in global football set to take place in winter for the first time ever.

A total of 64 matches will be played over a period of around a month to decide who the next world champions will be, with the brightest talents and heaviest hitters in the professional game vying for a chance to lift one of the most illustrious prizes in sport.

But when does the tournament actually get underway? Here’s everything you need to know...

When does the World Cup start?

The World Cup will begin on Sunday November 20th 2022, with kick-off in the tournament’s curtain-raiser between hosts Qatar and Ecuador scheduled for 4pm GMT. The opening ceremony for the competition will begin at 3pm.

England’s first game of the tournament will take place the following day, on Monday November 21st. The Three Lions will kick off their campaign against Iran, with kick-off at 1pm GMT. Wales’ opener comes against USA on the same day, with the first whistle at 7pm GMT.

When does the World Cup end?

This year’s World Cup will end on Sunday December 18th 2022, with the final scheduled to take place at 3pm GMT.

What is the full schedule for the World Cup?

The full schedule for the World Cup 2022 is as follows:

*All kick-off times in UK

Group Stage

Sunday November 20th

Group A: Qatar vs Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Monday November 21st

Group B: England vs Iran (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group A: Senegal vs Netherlands (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm) Group B: USA vs Wales (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Tuesday November 22nd

Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 10am) Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group C: Mexico vs Poland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm) Group D: France vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 7pm)

Wednesday November 23rd

Group F: Morocco vs Croatia (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 10am) Group E: Germany vs Japan (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group E: Spain vs Costa Rica (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm) Group F: Belgium vs Canada (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Thursday November 24th

Group G: Switzerland vs Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am) Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group H: Portugal vs Ghana (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm) Group G: Brazil vs Serbia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Friday November 25th

Group B: Wales vs Iran (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 10am) Group A: Qatar vs Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 1pm) Group A: Netherlands vs Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 4pm) Group B: England vs USA (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Saturday November 26th

Group C: Tunisia vs Australia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am) Group C: Poland vs Saudi Arabia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group D: France vs Denmark (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm) Group C: Argentina vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Sunday November 27th

Group E: Japan vs Costa Rica (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 10am) Group F: Belgium vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 1pm) Group F: Croatia vs Canada (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 4pm) Group E: Spain vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Monday November 28th

Group G: Cameroon vs Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am) Group G: South Korea vs Ghana (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm) Group H: Brazil vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm) Group H: Portugal vs Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Tuesday November 29th

Group A: Netherlands vs Qatar (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3pm) Group A: Ecuador vs Senegal (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) Group B: Wales vs England (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm) Group B: Iran vs USA (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Wednesday November 30th

Group D: Australia vs Denmark (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm) Group D: Tunisia vs France (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) Group C: Poland vs Argentina (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm) Group C: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Thursday December 1st

Group F: Croatia vs Belgium (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) Group F: Canada vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3pm) Group E: Costa Rica vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm) Group E: Japan vs Spain (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Friday, December 2nd

Group G: South Korea vs Portugal (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm) Group G: Ghana vs Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm) Group H: Serbia vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm) Group H: Cameroon vs Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Round of 16

Saturday December 3rd

• 49 - Winners of Group A vs Runners-up of Group B (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
• 50 - Winners of Group C vs Runners-up of Group D (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Sunday December 4th

• 52 - Winners of Group D vs Runners-up of Group C (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm)
• 51 - Winners of Group B vs Runners-up of Group A (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Monday December 5th

• 53 - Winners of Group E vs Runners-up of Group F (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
• 54 - Winners of Group G vs Runners-up of Group H (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)

Tuesday December 6th

• 55 - Winners of Group F vs Runners-up of Group E (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
• 56 - Winners of Group H vs Runners-up of Group G (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Quarter-finals

Friday December 9th

• 58 - Winners of 53 vs Winners of 54 (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
• 57 - Winners of 49 vs Winners of 50 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; 7pm)

Saturday December 10th

• 60 - Winners of 55 vs Winners of 56 (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm)
• 59 - Winners of 51 vs Winners of 52 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Semi-finals

Tuesday December 13th

• 61 - Winners of 57 vs Winners of 58 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Wednesday December 14th

• 62 - Winners of 59 vs Winners of 60 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Third place play-off

Saturday December 17th

• 63 - Third place play-off (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)

Final

Sunday December 18th

• 64 - The World Cup final (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 3pm)