All You Need to Know About the Upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Given the politicized nature of the event—Qatar has been accused of bribery and corruption in its successful bid to host the World Cup—there's been a lot of controversy surrounding the tournament. In this blog post, we'll give you all the need-to-know information about the upcoming FIFA World Cup so that you can make up your own mind about whether or not to tune in.
What Is the FIFA World Cup?
For those who are new to soccer or who don't follow sports religiously, here's a quick primer on what the FIFA World Cup is and how it works. The FIFA World Cup is an international soccer tournament that takes place every four years. Thirty-two national teams from all over the world qualify for the event by competing in a series of elimination matches known as "The Road to Qatar." These 32 teams are then divided into eight groups of four, with each team playing the other teams in its group once. The top two teams from each group advance to a knockout stage, until only two teams remain—the finalists. The final match determines which team will be crowned world champion.
Why Is Qatar Hosting?
As mentioned earlier, Qatar was controversially awarded hosting duties for the 2022 FIFA World Cup back in 2010. The decision was made by 22 members of FIFA's Executive Committee, who voted secretively by show of hands. Many have accused Qatar of bribe and vote-buying, as well as of using its considerable oil and gas wealth to influence key decision-makers.
There has also been significant criticism of Qatar's human rights record; migrant workers employed in construction projects related to the World Cup have faced horrific working conditions, and some have even died while working on stadiums and other infrastructure projects. Human rights groups have also raised concerns about how LGBT+ fans and players will be treated during the tournament, given that same-sex relations are illegal in Qatar.
When Is It Taking Place?
As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is set to take place from November 21st to December 18th—mark your calendars! This will be the first time that the tournament has been held during this time period; Traditionally, it has taken place during June and July, but due to concerns about extreme heat during Qatar's summer months (temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius!), it was decided to move it to November instead.
How Can I Watch It?
If you're interested in watching any or all of the games, you're in luck! The games will be broadcast on multiple television channels around the world, including CBC and TSN here in Canada. Check your local listings for exact times and channels. You can also stream games live online via CBC Sports' website or mobile app—just make sure you have a valid TV provider login handy so that you can access content without issue! You can find more information about how to watch here.
Are you looking forward to tuning into the 2022 FIFA World Cup? With so much controversy surrounding Qatar's hosting bid, it'll be interesting to see how Everything plays out come November! Whether you're a diehard soccer fan or just curious about all The commotion, be sure To check out some Of The games—you might just get hooked!
