The group stages of the 2022 World Cup wrap up this week, and by Friday night, 32 teams will have been cut down to just 16.
Argentina secured their place in the last 16 on Wednesday night by topping Group C with a 2-0 victory over Poland, while Australia beat Denmark 1-0 to escape Group D along with France.
England book their spot in the last 16 after beating Wales 3-0 on Tuesday night. They will play Senegal after the African side’s dramatic victory over Ecuador earlier on Tuesday.
The likes of Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands and the USA have also made it through.
The ultimate aim, of course, is to reach the World Cup final and lift the trophy in just under a month’s time. Here’s the route teams must take to get there, and how long this tournament is compared to previous World Cups.
When are the World Cup knockout stages?
The final group games are on Friday, when Group G and Group H conclude.
The round-of-16 starts the following day, on Saturday 3 December.
There will be two last 16 fixtures per day – at 3pm and 7pm – until Tuesday 6 December.
The quarter-finals are on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 December, before the semi-finals on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 December.
Here is the full schedule for the knockouts.
Round of 16
Saturday 3 December
- M1 – winners of Group A vs runners-up of Group B (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
- M2 – winners of Group C vs runners-up of Group D (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)
Sunday 4 December
- M3 – winners of Group D vs runners-up of Group C (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm)
- M4 – winners of Group B vs runners-up of Group A (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Monday December 5
- M5 – winners of Group E vs runners-up of Group F (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
- M6 – winners of Group G vs runners-up of Group H (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Tuesday December 6
- M7 – winners of Group F vs runners-up of Group E (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
- M8 – winners of Group H vs runners-up of Group G (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Quarter-finals
Friday December 9
- QF1 – winners of M5 vs winners of M6 (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
- QF2 – winners of M1 vs winners of M2 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Saturday December 10
- QF3 – winners of M7 vs winners of M8 (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm)
- QF4 – winners of M3 vs winners of M4 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
Semi-finals
Tuesday December 13
- SF1 – winners of QF2 vs winners of QF1 (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)
Wednesday December 14
- SF2 – winners of QF4 vs winners of QF3 (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)
When is the World Cup final?
The World Cup final takes place on Sunday 18 December at 3pm, at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
The third-place play-off will be the day prior – Saturday 17 December at 3pm, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan.
More from Football
How long will the World Cup last?
The World Cup started on Sunday 20 November, with Ecuador defeating hosts Qatar 2-0. This means the tournament will last just under a month in total.
A month is standard for modern World Cups, with two weeks for the group stages and two for the knockouts. The 2018 World Cup in Russia ran from 14 June to 15 July.
Tournaments still lasted a month back in 1994, when there were 24 teams rather than the 32 we are now accustomed to.
Dates are yet to be set for the 2026 World Cup, other than that it will be held in June and July across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It will be expanded to include 48 teams, meaning it could last longer than a month.
The number of games played overall will increase from 64 to 80. The tournament will open with a group stage consisting of 16 groups of three teams, with the top two teams progressing from each group to a knockout tournament starting with a round of 32 teams.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/Z7OvYWx
Post a Comment