Kick off times for 2022 Qatar World Cup announced

The Qatar World Cup may be still well over two years away, but today Fifa announced further details around the scheduling of the first ever winter version of the competition.

Kick off times for the group stages have been set for 10.00, 13.00, 16.00, 19.00 (Irish time) – meaning football fans can look forward to crowding around televisions in the office with morning winter football set to be on the agenda.

Hosts Qatar will kick off their tournament on Monday 21st November 2022 at the 60,000 seater Al Bayt Stadium.

Meanwhile the 80,000 capacity Lusail Stadium has been signalled out by the organisers as the stadium for the tournaments final, with that game set to kick off on December 18th.

The tournaments organising committee have hailed the fact that no air travel will have to be used to travel around the small nation with the group stages set to be rattled off over the course of just 12 days.

In a statement FIFA said this will “give fans the opportunity to attend more than one match a day during the group stages.”

Hospitality sales for the tournament will start later this year, while FIFA have said general tickets will go on sale at a later date which will be communicated in due course.