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 10.
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. (MORE)