Doha, October 21 (QNA) – With just under one month left before the World Cup Qatar 2022, the country is filled with signs of the tournament everywhere, and everything seems to be approaching zero hour for the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which will kick off on November 20 until December 18.
All arrangements and preparations for receiving the 32 teams peaked, especially since the first team to arrive will be on Nov. 7, which is the Japanese team.
The teams’ camps consist of four-star and five-star hotels, villas, resorts, and non-hotel accommodations, such as sports academies buildings, school dormitories and university residences, in addition to other facilities such as treatment rooms. All these places were distinguished by their ability to protect the privacy of the teams and were provided with all the necessary safety protocols. As for the training centers distributed throughout the country, some of them were renovated and others were built at the highest levels. Their proximity to the teams base were taken into account.
The Qatari team, which won the 2019 Asian Cup for the first time in its history, and is playing in group A, chose Al Azizia Hotel, located in the Aspire Zone, as its base camp. The team led by Spain’s Felix Sanchez will train at Training Ground No. 3 in Aspire Zone.
Al Moez Ali and Akram Afif’s teammates will start playing against Ecuador on Nov. 20 at Al Bayt Stadium, but they will have to play against Senegal (African Champions 2021) in the second match on Nov. 25, at Al Thumama Stadium and then finish the group stage by meeting the Netherlands on Nov. 29, at Al Bayt Stadium.
As for the Ecuador team, it chose the Hyatt Regency Oryx Hotel near Hamad International Airport. It will perform its training at the Messemer Sports Club, while the Senegal team chose the Al Duhail Sports Hall Hotel as its base camp. The teammates of Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane are training at Al-Duhail stadium’s No. 2.
Senegal team’s first appearance was in finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2002, hosted by Japan and S. Korea. In the opening match, Senegal beat France 1–0.
The Senegal team is led by coach Aliou Cisse, who has been in charge since March 4, 2015 after his appointment to succeed the French Alain Giresse. The Senegal team will play its first match in the first round on Nov. 21 against the Netherlands on Al Thumama Stadium, then the Qatar national team will meet it on Nov. 25 at Al Thumama Stadium. It will conclude its group matches against Ecuador on Nov. 29 at Khalifa International Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands national team, will stay at The St. Regis Doha in the West Bay, and will perform its training at Qatar University stadium No. 6. The team, led by veteran Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, since August 4, 2021, will start its World Cup journey playing Senegal on Nov. 21 at Al Thumama Stadium, while its second match will be against Ecuador on the 25th at Khalifa International Stadium, before they meet the Qatari national team on Nov. 29, 2022, at Al Bayt Stadium.
As for Group B, which includes England, Iran, the United States and Wales. The England team, which participated in 15 previous editions, and is preparing for its 16th participation in the 22nd edition, will be staying at Souq Al Wakra Hotel. The team led by coach Gareth Southgate will train at Al Wakra Club Stadium. Since assuming this task, he led England to finish fourth at the 2018 World Cupin Russia, and to the UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2020) final match.
The Iranian team will stay at the Al Rayyan Hotel, and will train at Al Rayyan stadiums, while the United States team, which is making its 11th appearance in the World Cup finals, chose to stay in the Marsa Malaz Kempinski Hotel, to train at Al Gharafa Club Stadium. The US team is led by coach Gregg Berhalter, who took over the task on Dec. 2, 2018, and led it to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after winning the 2021 Gold Cup and CONCACAF League Cup in the same year.
Berhalter will be one of the few who compete in the World Cup finals as a player and a coach, after he participated as a player in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
The US team begins its matches by playing against Wales on Nov 21, 2022 at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, before facing England on Nov. 25 at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. It will conclude the first round by facing Iran on Nov. 29, 2022 at Al Thumama Stadium.
The Wales national team chose to stay at the Delta Hotel City Center, located in the diplomatic area, while it will perform its training in the new stadiums of Al Sadd Club.
In group C of the World Cup, the Argentine team, which reached the World Cup finals in 18 editions and won the title in two editions, chose Qatar University as its residence, and will train at Qatar University No. 3.
The Argentine national team, which plays its matches in the group stage at Lusail Stadium and 974, is led by coach Lionel Scaloni, who took over the task on August 3, 2018, succeeding his compatriot Jorge Sampaoli, who was dismissed from his duties after exiting the round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup.
Messi’s teammates will start their World Cup games by meeting the Saudi team on November 22 at Lusail Stadium, then playing with Mexico on the 26th at the same stadium, before concluding the first round against Poland on the 30th at Stadium 974.
The Saudi team, which is making its second successive appearance and sixth in its history, will stay in the Murwab Resort in Sealine Beach, which is about 57 km south of Doha. The colleagues of Saleh Al Shehri, Salman Al-Faraj and Yasser Al Shahrani will train on the training grounds in Sealine.
The Saudi national team has been led by French coach Herve Renard, since May 29, 2019, as he took over the task, succeeding Argentine Juan Antonio Pizzi. Renard supervised the national team in 27 official and friendly matches, winning 15 of them, drawing 8 times, and losing in 4 matches.
Salem Al Dosari’s teammates will start the World Cup playing against Argentina on Nov. 22 at Lusail Stadium, before playing with Polish counterpart on Nov. 26 at Education City Stadium, before concluding the group stage playing with Mexico on Nov.30 at Lusail Stadium.
In turn, the Mexico national team decided to reside in the Murwab resort in the Simaisma area, which is about 45 km north of Doha, while it will train at Al Khor Club Stadium,
As for the Polish national team, they chose to stay at the Ezdan Palace Hotel, located in the Duhail area, while they will train at the Al-Kharaitiyat Club Stadium.
As for the teams in Group D, the French team, the last edition of the World Cup champion in Russia 2018, chose to stay in Al Messila resort, while the team led by coach Didier Deschamps since July 2012, succeeding coach Laurent Blanc, will train at Al Sadd Club.
Deschamps managed to lead France to the final of the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship and then win the title of the World Cup in Russia, but he failed in the 2021 UEFA European Football Championship when he was eliminated from the round of 16. The French national team participated in the first edition of the World Cup in Uruguay 1930, and appeared in the finals on 15 tournaments, and won the World Cup in 1998 and 2018. It also reached the final in 2006 and lost the title to Italy on penalties, while it finished third in the 1958 and 1986 editions.
The teammates of Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe will start their World Cup campaign against Australia on Nov. 22 at Al Janoub Stadium, before meeting their Danish counterpart on Nov. 26 at Stadium 974, concluding the matches of this round by meeting Tunisia on Nov. 30 at Education City Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Australian national team decided to reside in the new athletes’ residences at Aspire Academy, and to train at Aspire Zone stadium No. 5.
As for the Danish team, which is making its seventh appearance in the World Cup, it chose to reside in the resort of Retaj Salwa Resort & Spa near the Salwa Road, while the team led by coach Kasper Hjulmand will train at the stadiums of Al Sailiya SC. The Danish team will start its journey in the tournament on November 22, by meeting the Tunisian team at the Education City Stadium, then it will face its French counterpart on the 26th of the same month at the 974 Stadium. As for the last match in the first round, it will meet with Australia on the 30th at Al Janoub Stadium.
The Tunisian team, which makes its second successive appearance and sixth in its history, chose the Wyndham Grand Doha Hotel West Bay. The team led by Jalal Al-Qadri since last February, succeeding Munther Al Kabeer, will be training at Al-Uqla training grounds.
Youssef Msakni’s colleagues will start their participation by meeting Denmark on November 22 at Education City Stadium. Afterward, they will face Australia on the 26th at Al Janoub Stadium, before meeting world champion France on the 30th of the same month at Education City Stadium.
In Group E, Spain, which is making its 16th appearance in its history, chose to reside at Qatar University. The team, led by coach Luis Enrique since July 9, 2018, will train on stadium No. 1 at Qatar University. Its first appearance was in 1934 edition that was held in Italy, and it was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
The Spanish national team will play its first match against Costa Rica on November 23 at Al Thumama Stadium, before playing with Germany at Al Bayt Stadium. On Nov. 27, the group stage will conclude with a match between Spain and Japan on the first of December at Khalifa International Stadium.
Costa Rica will stay at the DusitD2 Salwa Hotel, about 20 minutes from Hamad International Airport, and will train at Al-Ahly Club Stadium.
Germany chose to reside in Zulal Resort, located in Al Ruwais, about 110 km north of Doha, while the team will train at Al Shamal Club Stadium.
As for the Japanese team, which is making its seventh World Cup appearance, it will reside at the Radisson Blu Hotel, which is about 4 km from Souq Waqif. The Japanese team won the Asian Cup 4 times in its nine participations, in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011, and lost the only final against Qatar in the 2019 edition.
The team will train on Stadium No. 1 in Al Sadd Club. The Japanese team is lead by coach Hajime Moriyasu, who took over the task in July of 2018 after succeeding Akira Nishino, whose mission ended immediately after his team left the round of 16 of the World Cup Russia 2018, losing to Belgium by 2-3.
Moriyasu has led the Japanese national team since then in 57 matches, winning 39 of them, losing 10 times, and drawing 8 times.
As for group F, the Belgium team, which is participating for the 14th time, chose to stay in the Hilton Salwa Beach Resort and Villas, near Abu Samra area, about 90 km south-west of Doha. The Salwa training grounds will host the training sessions for the team led by Spanish coach Roberto Martinez since August 3, 2016.
The teammates of Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku will start playing against Canada on Nov. 24 at Ahmed Ben Ali Stadium. Eden Hazard’s team will face Morocco, on 27th at Al Thumama Stadium. In the third and final game, the team will play against Croatia, on Dec. 1, at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium.
As for the Canadian national team, it will stay at Century Premier Hotel in Lusail, while it will train at Umm Salal Stadium.
For its part, the Moroccan team, which is making its sixth appearance in its history, chose the Wyndham Doha West Bay hotel as its headquarters. Ashraf Hakimi’s colleagues will train at Al Duhail Club Stadium. The Moroccan team has been led by Walid Regragui, since last August after he succeeded the Bosnian-French coach Vahid Halilhodzic. It will start its first round game against Croatia on Nov. 23 at Al Bayt Stadium, then meet Belgium on 27 at Al Thumama Stadium, and conclude the first round against Canada on Dec. 1 at Al Thumama Stadium.
The Croatian national team chose to stay at the Hilton Doha Hotel in the West Bay region, and train at the Ersal Complex Training Grounds No. 3.
In Group G, the Brazilian national team, the record holder for the number of World Cup titles with five times trophies, chose to stay at The Westin Doha Hotel in the city center, while the team, which has never missed a World Cup tournament since the first edition that was held in Uruguay in 1930, will train at Al Arabi Club Stadium. Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, known as “Tite”, has been coaching the national team since June 16, 2016.
Neymar’s teammates will play their first match on Nov. 24, against Serbia at Lusail Stadium before facing Switzerland in the second round on 28, at Stadium 974. In the third match, they face Cameroon on Dec. 2 at Lusail Stadium.
As for the Serbia national team, it will stay at the Rixos Gulf Hotel near Hamad International Airport, while it will train at Al Arabi Club Stadium.
The Swiss national football team has chosen the Le Royal Meridien Hotel in Lusail as its base camp and is training at the Doha University Stadium.
Cameroon, which is the first African team to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Italy 1990, will stay at Banyan Tree Hotel at La Cigale Msheireb, while the training, led by coach Rigobert Song will be at Al Sailiya Club. The Cameroon team, which is making its eighth appearance in the World Cup, won the African Nations Cup on 5 edition in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 and 2017.
The first time that Cameroon reached the World Cup finals was in 1982 World Cup in Spain. It was eliminated from the group stage.
In group H, Portugal, which is preparing for its eighth appearance, will stay in the Samriya Hotel near the Shahaniya area, while the team led by coach Fernando Santos since Sep. 23, 2014, succeeding Paulo Pinto, will train at the training grounds in Al Shahaniya.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammates will start their World Cup matches against Ghana on Nov. 24 at 974 Stadium, before playing with Uruguay on Nov. 28 at Lusail Stadium. The first round will conclude with a match against South Korea, on Dec. 2, at the Education City Stadium.
As for the Ghana team, which is making its fourth World Cup participation in its history, chose to stay at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel located in Al Sadd area, and the team, led by coach Otto Addo since last February, will train at Aspire Zone No. 1 training ground.
The Ghanaian team aspires to repeat the achievement of the 2010 South Africa tournament when it reached the quarter-finals and was close to being the first African team to reach the semi-finals. Ghana will start playing against Portugal on Nov.24 at 974 Stadium, then it will meet South Korea on November 28 at Education City Stadium. It will end the first round with a match against Uruguay on December 2 at Al Janoub Stadium.
In turn, the Uruguay national team will stay at Pullman Doha in West Bay, and the team led by coach Diego Alonso, who was appointed to succeed his compatriot Oscar Tabarez, will train at Al Ersal Complex for Training Grounds No.1.
Uruguay participated in 14 editions of the World Cup, and won the title twice, in 1930 and in 1950. The Uruguay team will start the tournament by meeting South Korea on Nov. 24 at Education City Stadium, then Portugal on the 28th at Lusail Stadium before playing against Ghana on December 2 at Al Janoub Stadium.
The South Korean national team, whose participation in Qatar will be the 11th in its history, will stay at Le Meridien City Center Hotel in West Bay, while the team led by Portuguese coach Paulo Bento since August 17, 2018, will train at the training grounds No. 5 at Al Egla training grounds.
The Korean team has a permanent place in the World Cup finals, since qualifying for the tournament for the second time in its history, and reaching the World Cup in Mexico 1986. Its best achievement was its fourth place in the 2002 World Cup, which was cohosted by the Asian country in partnership with Japan.
The 32 teams will be able to stay in camps that are the closest to each other since the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1930, and each team will reside in the same facility throughout the competition days. There is no need for domestic flights, and this edition of the tournament will also feature teams being able to use official training sites the day before their matches. (QNA)