Doha, Qatar – Men’s World Cup 2022 is coming very fast. The opening match took place on November 20, nearly 12 years since Qatar was awarded the right to host the tournament.
The event will feature 32 teams and attract more than 1.2 million visitors to Qatar, which will become the first country in the Middle East to host football’s biggest tournament.
Here is a list of some other firsts at this year’s World Cup:
offside technology
In July, world football’s governing body, FIFA, announced the use of the semi-automatic offside system at the World Cup to help make fast and accurate offside calls.
According to the regulations of the governing body, a player is in the offside position if “any part of the head, body or foot is in the opponent’s half of the court (excluding the midfield line) and any part of the head, body or foot is near the opponent’s goal line more than the ball and the last line of opposition”.
This technology uses a sensor in the ball and a camera system that tracks the limbs to track the player’s movements. To help fans and home viewers understand the referee’s decision, data will be used to project 3D images on stadium screens.
substitution
Teams will be allowed five replacements in each match compared to three from the previous World Cup in Russia in 2018.
This regulation was introduced by football’s rule-setting body, the Council of International Football Associations, in 2020 after what It says is “a global analysis of the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on football as well as representation of several key stakeholders from across the football community”.
If a World Cup match goes into extra time, an additional substitution will be allowed.
A number of football leagues, including Spain’s La Liga and the American Professional Football League, have made this change over the past two years.
November start
Unlike previous tournaments, Qatar 2022 will take place in November and December.
Previously, the World Cup was always held in the summer of the Northern Hemisphere, usually in June and July. This change was made to avoid high temperatures in Qatar, which could reach 50C (122F) during that period.
During the tournament, the temperature is predicted range from 14C to 31C (57F to 88F).
Expanded Team List
In November, participating countries will name teams containing up to 26 playersthree times more than allowed at the World Cup in Russia.
According to FIFA, the change was made due to the “special timing” of the tournament being held in November and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The preliminary list of the World Cup was also expanded from a maximum of 35 players to 55.
female referee
For the first time at the Men’s World Cup, ba women was included in the list of 36 referees selected for Qatar 2022.
France’s Stephanie Frappart, Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita and Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga have all refereed at a men’s tournament, including the UEFA Super Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
“The fact that FIFA and the authorities have a female referee in that country is a strong sign,” said Frappart. speak. “I am not a feminist spokesperson, but if this can make things happen…”
Joining them will be three other women who will serve among the 69 assistant referees.
The most ‘compact’ World Cup
With an area of more than 11,500 square kilometers (4,440 square miles) and a population of about 2.9 million, Qatar will be the smallest country to ever host FIFA’s premier tournament.
All eight stadiums are within a 50 km (31 mi) radius of the capital, Doha. During the group stages, most days there will be a maximum of four matches.
While Qatar and FIFA say the tournament’s “collapsed” nature will allow people to watch multiple matches per day, critics say the influx of more than 1.2 million could lead to severe congestion on the streets, making it more difficult for people to move around. move around the country.
“Having four matches in one day is a challenge in a city like Doha,” said Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi of the Supreme Commission for Delivery and Heritage, which organized the tournament. speak last month. “…Of course, we assume there will be congestion on the streets.”
Schools in Qatar will remain closed for the duration of the World Cup while office hours are reduced.
