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The final two places to qualify for the 2022 Fifa Men’s World Cup were finalised this week, with Australia and Costa Rica advancing to the finals with separate qualifying play-offs in Doha.
So far, the top 32 and the groupings of the World Cup finals have all been determined.
The tournament, which will take place in November, is the first time the historic event has been played at the end of the year and the first time in World Cup history that it has been hosted by a Middle Eastern country.
However, the decision to host the World Cup by Qatar has sparked controversy.
When will the 2022 World Cup start? How hot will it be?
The World Cup finals are scheduled for November 21 to December 18. During these two months, temperatures in Qatar typically reach 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit).
If the competition is held in June and July as usual, the temperature during the competition will exceed 40°C, and may even reach 50°C.
Qatar initially proposed that the finals be held in the summer as usual, but all matches would be played in closed venues with air-conditioning systems, but the plan was ultimately rejected.
The problem with hosting the World Cup in winter
November and December are in full swing in European football club competitions, and now many players have to accept the call-up of the national team at this time to play in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Therefore, major European leagues, such as the English Premier League, Italian Serie A and Spanish Serie A, will suspend their seasons from a week before the start of the international break and resume following the World Cup.
Why choose Qatar to host?
In 2010, Qatar won the vote of 22 FIFA executive committee members, beating the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia, and successfully won the right to host.
This is the first time an Arab country has hosted the World Cup.
Qatar was accused of paying $3.7 million in bribes to FIFA officials in exchange for their support, but was cleared of suspicion following a two-year investigation.
The then FIFA president Sepp Blatter (Sepp Blatter, Bai Lida) had supported Qatar’s bid at the time, but later said that FIFA may have made the wrong decision.
Blatter is currently on trial in Switzerland on charges of fraud, embezzlement and other corruption charges. He has denied all allegations.
Qatar also faces allegations from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that it mistreated foreign workers involved in the construction of World Cup facilities.
Who are the participating teams? Who are the favorites to win?
Qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup started three years ago.
Teams from all continents compete in groups, and the top teams in each group directly advance to the finals, while some teams qualify for the competition through play-offs.
France, which won the 2018 World Cup, successfully qualified for Qatar, but Italy, which won the European Cup last year, failed to qualify for the World Cup.
A total of 32 teams compete in the finals, and they are divided into eight groups of four teams each. Teams from the same continent will not be placed in the same group – with the exception of Europe, where at most two teams will be in the same group.
Brazil, England, France and Spain are currently listed by bookmakers as the favourites to win the tournament.
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In Qatar, alcoholic drinks are only sold in luxury hotel bars
What can fans expect in Qatar during the tournament?
Qatar is a country of 2.9 million people and one of the richest countries in the world thanks to its oil and gas exports.
To host the tournament, the country has built seven new stadiums and even built an entire city for the finale.
More than 100 new hotels, a new subway line, and a series of new highways are all under construction.
The organizing committee expects that regarding 1.5 million fans will come to watch the finals.
Qatar is a conservative Muslim country and fans will be told to exercise caution.
There are strict local restrictions on alcoholic beverages, which can only be sold in luxury hotel bars. A pint of beer can cost $13.
However, the organizers said that alcohol may also be sold in specially designated fan areas during the event.
Controversy over gay rights in Qatar
Same-sex sex is illegal in Qatar.
A number of fan organisations representing gays and lesbians have been begging the country’s government to “keep them safe”, while some Wales fans said they would boycott the tournament following their team successfully qualified for the finals.
World Cup organizers responded that “everyone will be welcome” during the event, but Qatar has no plans to relax gay laws.
This is how China “participates” in this World Cup
The Chinese men’s football team failed to enter the Qatar World Cup finals, but China still “participated” in this World Cup in some way.
The Lusail Stadium, built for the World Cup north of the capital Doha, was jointly built by a Chinese company and Qatar, and its main structural design was also completed by a Beijing company.
According to the data, this stadium, which claims to be able to accommodate more than 80,000 spectators, will host the opening, closing and finals of the World Cup.
It will become a landmark for the Qatar World Cup, and the image will also appear on the new version of the Qatari currency banknote.
