When is the next World Cup?

With the competition popping up on people’s timelines, many are asking when the next World Cup starts.

There are so many different soccer competitions and tournaments going on throughout each year. Therefore, scheduling can be a bit confusing to follow for anyone, particularly the more casual and laid back soccer fans. Solely focusing on the World Cup, the competition takes place every four years. The last time the world’s best met was in Russia in 2018. Now four years removed, it is a World Cup year in 2022.

When does the next World Cup start?

Typically, World Cups occur during summer months. However, Qatar 2022 begins in November and runs until December 18. The reason for the adjusted scheduling circles back to the host, Qatar. It is the first time the tournament is in the Middle East. Moreover, it is the first time the World Cup is not in the Summer.

Qatar, a Middle Eastern country with a desert climate, experiences extremely hot temperatures in the summer months. In fact, average high temperatures from May through September regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Clearly, the summer months would provide exorbitantly high temperatures for premier soccer players to go head-to-head. Furthermore, low temps during the summer are still in the upper 80s. Regular highs for Qatar in November and December tend to be in the 80s and even upper 70s.

The competition kicks off November 21. To begin, Senegal faces the Netherlands in the competition’s opener. Each team plays the other three teams in their group. At the end of those three games, the top two teams from each of the eight groups advances to the knockout stage. The 16-team knockout stage is a single-elimination bracket until the World Cup Final on December 18. There will also be a third place match on December 17.

So far, 29 of 32 total teams secured their spot at the 2022 World Cup. Final playoffs, some due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, will take place this summer to determine the last three teams to play in the tournament. Some favorites to lift the trophy include: Brazil, Belgium, England, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Argentina, and reigning World Cup champions France.