Best. Christmas. Ever.
FIFA have today confirmed that the 2022 World Cup Final in Qatar will be played on December 18, exactly one week before Christmas Day and on the same day as Qatar’s national holiday.
Earlier this year, it was decided that the competition would be not be staged in June and July, as has always been the case, so as to avoid the searing temperatures that are the norm in the Gulf State at that time of year.
FIFA have now decided that the tournament will be run over a 28-day period from November 21, 2022 until the final on December 18.
The World Cup normally runs over 32 days, but the decision to cut it short by four days was taken to minimise disruption to the number of leagues that will have to go on hiatus during that time.
Clubs will have to release players for the tournament on November 14, exactly one week before the start of the tournament, while international fixtures that usually take place in October have also had to be pushed back as a result.
Normally, a World Cup that’s over seven years away isn’t something to get too excited about, but a World Cup that will be immediately followed by Christmas has us counting down the days, months and indeed years already.
Over to the Irish team to qualify and make it really special.
