FIFA World Cup 2022: FIFA Confirms World Cup Opening Date Change

FIFA has confirmed that the FIFA World Cup 2022 would begin a day earlier than initially scheduled in order for hosts Qatar to face Ecuador in the tournament's opening match.

Qatar was supposed to begin its maiden World Cup campaign on Monday (November 21), with Group A opponents Senegal and the Netherlands slated to begin earlier that day.

However, a unanimous decision by the FIFA Council Bureau means Felix Sanchez's Qatar team will now open the competition on Sunday, November 20 at 7 p.m. local time, keeping the tradition of the host team playing first, according to DPA. The opening ceremony has also been pushed back to November 20.