The FIFA world cup 2022 got underway in Qatar on November 20.
The final of FIFA world cup 2022 is scheduled to be played on December 18.
It is for the first time in history that the FIFA world cup is being held in the Arab world.
This will also be the last FIFA world cup that features 32 teams.
From the 2026 edition of FIFA world cup, the number of participating teams will rise to 48.
Here are 10 interesting facts about FIFA world cup 2022:
- Most expensive football world cup ever
As per Bloomberg, Qatar has spent a whopping 300 billion USD (Rs 24,42,000 crore) to organise the FIFA world cup 2022.
As per Economic Times, the construction of new stadiums cost 6.5 billion USD (Rs 530 crore).
In comparison, Russia had spent only 14.2 billion USD (Rs 1,15,913 crore) to organise the FIFA world cup 2022, per Forbes.
- Shortest world cup
The Qatar world cup scheduled to be completed in 28 days.
This makes the FIFA world cup 2022 the shortest football world cup since 1998.
The 2014 edition of FIFA world cup in Brazil was held in 32 days.
- Qatar’s world cup debut
As the host country, Qatar’s football team automatically qualified for the FIFA world cup 2022.
This is their first appearance in FIFA world cup.
- First ever FIFA world cup to be played in winter
This is the first time that a FIFA world cup is being played in the winter.
This time the FIFA world cup is being played in the months of November and December instead of May, June or July.
Summers in Qatar can be very harsh, which is why the tournament is being held in the winter.
- Youngest and oldest player in FIFA world cup
18-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko of Germany is the youngest player at the FIFA world cup 2022.
The oldest player, meanwhile, is Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, aged 45
- 1.5 million spectators
According to The Hindu, over 1.5 million people applied for the compulsory pass for the tournament.
As per Bloomberg, nearly 3 million tickets had been sold by mid-October.
- Five billion viewership
As per TOI, as many as five billion people were expected to tune in to watch the FIFA world cup 2022.
That is more than half of the world’s population!
- Most title holders
There are only eight teams in the world that have won the prestigious FIFA world cup.
Brazil has five wins, while Germany and Italy have four wins each. Uruguay, Argentina and France have two titles each, while Spain and England have one each.
- No beer, pride flags and holy books
Qatar banned sale of alcohol at stadiums during FIFA world cup 2022.
Beer have been made available only in hospitality boxes and in fan zones after 7 pm.
Pork-based items, balloons, loud music instruments, pride flags and cigarettes were also banned inside stadiums.
- Last world cup for Messi and Ronaldo?
Argentina icon Lionel Messi (35) confirmed in October that the Qatar FIFA world cup 2022 will be his last.
On the other hand, Portugal and Manchester United player, 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to make a comment on his future in international football.
Messi are Ronaldo are unarguably two of the greatest players to have played the game.