10 Unknown Facts about FIFA World Cup 2022

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It’s not news anymore that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 starts this Sunday, November 20, with 32 teams, including the host country Qatar.

The tournament is held every four years, except in 1942 and 1946 when World War II was going on. Since it started in 1930, it has become one of the most popular and watched games in the world.

Here are Ten Unknown facts about the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 that we think you should Know:

1. First-Ever World Cup in the Middle East

After South Korea and Japan in 2002, Qatar will be the first Middle Eastern country to host the games. It will also be the second Asian country to do so.

Also, Qatar has played in the continental AFC Asian Cup many times, but this is the first time the country has qualified for a FIFA World Cup game since it became independent in 1971.

2. Who is the Youngest Player in the Tournament?

Youssoufa Moukoko, the youngest participant at the World Cup in Qatar, is undoubtedly Germany’s most promising young prospect since Jamal Musial’s ascension at Bayern. He contributed to Borussia Dortmund’s success in the Bundesliga in 2022 with three assists and six goals. Due to Timo Werner’s injury, Moukoko was selected for Hansi Flick’s final German team.

3. The Last World Cup Appearance of Our GOATs (Messi and Ronaldo)?

This World Cup could be the last time that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ever play football.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated men’s football for more than a decade. From 2008 to 2022, they won 12 of the 14 Ballon D’or awards. Qatar 2022 is likely to be the last World Cup game for the GOATs, who have played in a total of 21 World Cups between them.

4. Semi-Automated Offside Technology

FIFA has approved a semi-automated offside system that will cut the time it takes for VAR offline decisions from 70 to 25 seconds. Twelve multi-tracking cameras will be put on the roofs of each Stadium to keep track of the ball and each player.

5. Who is the oldest, then?

Lionel Messi (age 35), Cristiano Ronaldo (age 37), and Luka Modric (age 37), as well as Dani Alves (age 39) and Thiago Silva (age 39), will be among the many older players at the FIFA World Cup 2022. But Mexico’s goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera is the oldest player in Qatar. He and Guillermo Ochoa, who is also 37, are two of the most experienced goalkeepers on his country’s national team.

6. The Number of Footballers in the Squad Increased

Before, each football team had 18 players. Later, the number was raised to 23.

Now, FIFA has decided that each team at this year’s World Cup in Qatar will have three more soccer players. That is, each football team has 26 players.

7. Female Referee

Up until now, women referees did not get to work in the men’s World Cup.

But this year, for the first time at the Qatar World Cup, female referees will be in charge of men’s games.

Out of the 36 referees chosen by FIFA, 3 are women. The three are Stephanie Frappart of France, Yoshimi Yamashita of Japan, and Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda.

They have already run matches in men’s tournaments. There is the UEFA Super Cup and the African Nations Cup.

8. Footballer Changes

At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, you could only switch out three players at a time. This year, there are 5 more people.

The International Football Association Board, which is in charge of football, made a 5-footer substitution rule for Covid-19 in 2020.

Corona caused a crisis among football players in different leagues around the world. At that time, the clubs asked the International Football Association Board to make it a rule that each match could only have five player changes.

The request was accepted by the board of the International Football Association. In the World Cup, the same rule is still in place.

But if a World Cup game goes into extra time, Qatar World Cup lets the teams make one more change.

9. Qatar Never Played in a World Cup Before

In 1960, Qatar started the Football Association, and in 1963, it joined FIFA. Qatar has been trying to get into the FIFA World Cup since then.

In 1990, Qatar made it all the way to the final of the AFC qualifiers, but they didn’t win.

Qatar will be the first country to host the World Cup that has never played in it before. Qatar automatically qualified for the Qatar World Cup 2022 because it will be the host country.

10. Smallest host Country

The World Cup has never been held in a small country before. Qatar is 11,500 square kilometers big, but only 29 million people live there.

All of the games in the FIFA World Cup will take place in 8 stadiums in Qatar. All of these stadiums are within 50 km of Doha, which is the capital of Qatar.