With the FIFA World Cup 2022 only a few months away, we are all set to go. We have 32 teams and 8 groups, all set to begin the campaign on 21 November in Qatar. The month-long carnival will wrap up with the final on 18 December.

According to Surprise Sports, 1.8 million tickets are sold already as of June 30th. More tickets will be available from 5 July 2022. The vibe of the biggest football tournament on the planet is all around us already. Hence, here we are with some facts you must know about the FIFA World Cup 2022.

No Extramarital

Fans should be aware of the extramarital sex or one-night stand while in Qatar for the World Cup 2022. It can put you into a lot of trouble and the law is up to 7 years of jail.

As a nation of the Middle East, Qatar strictly maintains Islamic laws and culture and you must show respect and comply with them.

The Daily Star quoted from a police source, “sex is very much off the menu unless you are coming as a married couple. There definitely will be no one-night stands at this tournament.”

No Alcohol in the Stadiums

As an Islamic nation, drinking alcohol is prohibited in Qatar. You cannot drink alcohol in public places. Fans have to respect the law as well and they cannot drink in public places.

The Supreme Committee in Qatar warned visitors, “public drunkenness and drinking alcohol in public places are not permitted. While alcohol is not a part of local culture, Qatar is a hospitable place, and will cater for all fans who wish to enjoy alcohol responsibly.”

So, fans can have alcohol in private places. They can purchase alcohol in special places like fan zones where alcohol will be available at cheap prices.

26-Player Rosters

The FIFA World Cup 2022 will allow 26-player squads for the first time in its history. Every team could call up to 23 players since the 2002 World Cup. The FIFA ruling body has changed the rule and allowed bigger rosters for every team.

5 Substitutions

We will see up to 5 substitutions inside the regulation time of 90 minutes plus added time. Every team can make 5 substitutions for the first time in the history of the World Cup.

It was previously 3 replacements inside 90 minutes. FIFA has made the changes to keep the players more strain-free amidst the threat of COVID. It will also provide more tactical flexibility according to FIFA.

All the major leagues in Europe will adopt this rule in the upcoming season.

3 Female Referees

For the first time in history, 3 female match officials will take charge of the games of a Men’s World Cup. Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan, Stephanie Frappart of France, and Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda are the three female match officials of a group of 36 elite referees in the FIFA World Cup 2022. Moreover, three more female assistant referees have been included in a pool of 69.

First-Ever Winter World Cup in Northern Hemisphere

The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be the first-ever winter world cup in the Northern Hemisphere. This event is moved from its usual summertime in June-July to November-December. It is because of the scorching temperature of the Middle East in summer which could exceed 50 degrees Celsius. Hence, the World Cup in Qatar will be held during a break of the European leagues, starting in November.

Second Ever in Asia

The World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be the second-ever event in Asia. The first time was held in 2002 when Japan and South Korea were the co-hosts of the event. Brazil won their 5th World Cup in that edition defeating Germany in the final. It was their last appearance in the final.

Fewest Venues

Qatar World Cup will feature the fewest venues to host the matches in decades. There will be only 8 venues to host the event. Among the 8 stadiums, 6 are built brand-new to host the World Cup.

In 1978, Argentina hosted the World Cup with six, the least number of venues.

Air-conditioned Stadiums

Again, the scorching sun of Qatar comes into play as they will host the matches in fully air-conditioned stadiums. All 8 venues will be AC to keep the temperature comfortable. The temperature inside the stadiums will be around 25. It will give the spectators a comfortable cheering environment as well as the players to play.

Most Expensive

Qatar World Cup will be the most expensive event in the history of the tournament in respect of the cost for preparations. According to an estimation, the host nation has spent a jaw-dropping €200bn to prepare the infrastructures for the event. It includes building stadiums, hotels, highways, and so on.

Most Commutable

The World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be the most commutable as the nation is a small gem. The host cities, Doha, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, and Lusail are in close proximity to each other. For this reason, moving from one venue to another wouldn’t be much of a hassle. Again, it provides the opportunity to enjoy multiple games from the venue in a single day, of course, if you have the tickets.

Conclusion

That’s all some facts you must know about the FIFA World Cup 2022. We have got you covered and don’t want you to miss anything and a single minute of the game. The World Cup Live Stream will be available on the Fox Sports app in the United States. BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub will provide the live stream from the UK.

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