First World Cup to be Held During Winter

The 2022 World Cup will officially be held from late-November to late-December during the Winter, making it the first ever tournament to escape the mid-year season. This is because of Qatar’s intense summer heat that takes over the month of May to July, making it a very unfavourable climate for the matches to take place in. In order for the tournament to accommodate the period of northern autumn, all matches will be played within a timeframe of 1 month. 

Group games that begin in November will likely experience the hottest weather with highs of 26-28°C, whereas the season of quick rainy showers begins from December to March in Qatar – temperatures during this time typically range from 22-29°C. Hence, there’s a high possibility we may be able to witness an intense final match in the rain.

What to Prepare For If You’re Watching Matches Live from The Stadium

Bring A Jacket

There’s a lot of talk about Qatar being blanketed by sweltering heat when the World Cup comes around. But don’t be shy to bring a nice thick jacket along if you’re entering the stadiums because Qatar has mastered state-of-the-art air conditioning systems that could blast the entire venue with cold air to counter the heat.

There’s Beer, But Not for Everybody

As Qatar is a Muslim country, alcohol consumption is widely prohibited. Despite this, there has been confirmation from the organiser that any non-Muslim visitors are allowed to drink, but with conditions. Don’t worry about drinking beer inside the stadium, you won’t be arrested. Publicly drinking or displaying any sort of drunkenness outside the stadium, however, would potentially land you behind bars. 

FIFA have also confirmed ticket holders will have access to alcohol within the stadium perimeter both before and after games. It is worth noting that alcohol will only be available in specific areas within the stadiums, such as hospitality boxes. Meanwhile, only non-alcoholic beer and soft drinks will be available inside the stadium bowl.

Get a Fan ID

Before entering Qatar, make sure you obtain A Hayya card (Fan ID) –  a personalised document required by every single person attending any of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 matches. The same ID will also grant you access into the country (after you register as a traveller) and give you a free pass to travel on local transport on game days. You must have both the Fan ID and applicable match ticket on hand to access the stadium on match day. Each individual needs to have their own Fan ID during the duration of the FIFA World Cup.

After successfully purchasing your FIFA tickets, you may receive your Fan ID through an electronic registration you can make on the official Qatari website by filling in your personal data and ticket information. 

Current Status of The Most Anticipated Teams to Play at The 2022 World Cup

All players will have a week to make preparations with their respective national teams before making their way to the tournament in Qatar. Once in Qatar, FIFA has stated that on the day before a match and if the weather allows it, visiting teams are entitled to have one 60-minute training session on the pitch where the match is due to take place. 

It goes without saying that all teams are putting their blood, sweat, and tears into training, especially the fan favourites people are looking forward to seeing win. But how are these teams making sure they live up to these great standards?

BRAZIL

Tite – Seleção coach – shares that he is not concerned as the team will be using those eight months before the World Cup begins to make solid preparations. And perhaps Tite’s confidence is justified, as Brazil breezed through their qualifiers unbeaten with PSG star Neymar leading the scores with eight total goals. The team’s midfield and defence also proved strength and resilience in their performances so far, making the five-time winners favourites of many.

BELGIUM

Football fans are keeping an eye on Belgium as well. The Red Devils finished third by securing a 2-0 victory against England in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, proving themselves to be a worthy contender Brazil, Argentina, France, and England fans should watch out for. In the recent Nation’s League match, Belgium also defeated Wales 2-1 in Brussels. 

Furthermore, coach Roberto Martinez is boasting quality and talents like Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel, Dries Mertens and others that pushed the team into its golden generation, making Belgium one that nobody should overlook.

ARGENTINA

With Lionel Scaloni as coach and Lionel Messi Captaining the Albicelestes, Argentina will be marching into the 2026 World Cup Stadiums once again after recently becoming the reigning Copa America champions.

When asked about the team’s chances in Qatar, Scaloni acknowledged that there are very great teams attending and it is difficult to say for sure who has the best chance of winning. He also expressed that they will not go with an inflated chest but will leave every last drop of sweat on the field. 

With this potentially being Messi’s last World Cup, we can expect to see the team giving their all for the winning title for Argentina since the days of the late Diego Maradona. 

FRANCE

Steven N’zonzi, who played midfield in Les Bleus and won the 2018 World Cup, has stated that the France national team coach, Didier Deschamps’s greatest strength is his competitiveness. He is known among his players as someone who is there to win, and not there to please anyone. 

However, Deschamps’s relentlessness comes at a cost. Injuries and cases of fatigue among the team were increasing in number resulting in multiple absences ahead of their Nations League matches. Among recovering players is midfielder Paul Pogba, striker Karim Benzema, centre back Presnel Kimpembe, keeper Hugo Lloris and defender Theo Hernandez. With a good number of his star players not in their best condition, Les Bleus has much to do if they plan to defend their winning title.

Is it Wise to Still Bet Given the Different Circumstances?

Evidently, the 2022 World Cup is taking place under several new circumstances that previous years did not have to consider. The Covid-19 plague in the last two years have definitely taken a toll on everyone worldwide, and maybe more so for those who were using every available moment to train and make sure they will be World-Cup-ready. Moreover, the 2022 FIFA tournaments taking place year end during Winter in a Muslim country for the first time too has raised doubts about the performances we expect to see. 

That being said, is it still worth placing bets on something so seemingly uncertain? 

Seeing how the teams have been going at their matches in the Nations League and Premier League, it’s safe to say that Covid has not been obstructing their drive and the players have undoubtedly been doing their due diligence on the training field. As for the season/climate factor, though the World Cup is technically taking place in Qatar Winter, its temperature is actually similar to that of a regular spring/summer.

Not to forget that this would be the last World Cup of many star players. So place your final bets on your favourite teams as they bring their A-game to the FIFA tournament in Qatar.

Here’s How You Can Watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup

If you’re not travelling to Qatar to watch the matches, there are still numerous ways you can catch the matches for free via online live streams, local TV channels, or you can also visit local bars for a more communal experience. Better yet, why not enjoy the matches in the comfort of your own home when you watch on the i8.BET app with Saba Sports!

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