On Sunday, Qatar will become the smallest country and the first Middle Eastern country to ever host what is considered one of the world’s greatest sporting events - the FIFA World Cup.

Thirty-two teams will take part in 64 matches over 29 days and league play around the world has paused - with soccer’s focus solely on Qatar.

Here are a few things to watch when group games get going:

Top Teams

Brazil (No. 1 in FIFA ranking). Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and the rest of the flair-filled team are peaking at the right time. The big question is whether a first World Cup title since 2002 is on the horizon?

Brazil will open their World Cup campaign against Serbia on Nov. 24

Belgium (No. 2 in FIFA ranking). The “Golden Generation” is gradually breaking up but there’s still Kevin De Bruyne leading the Belgian charge. There is doubt about the fitness of Romelu Lukaku, however.

Argentina (No. 3 in FIFA ranking). No World Cup title since the days of the great Diego Maradona. This will be the first World Cup since his death in November 2020 and Argentina has improved under coach Lionel Scaloni, with Messi still at its core and leading the team on a 35-match unbeaten run.

Argentina is one of the favorites to win the 2022 World Cup.
France (No. 4 in FIFA ranking). The defending champions. Still the country with the most depth to its squad, despite an injury list that includes Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante. Now with Mbappé and Karim Benzema leading the attack. No team has retained its World Cup title since Brazil in 1962.

England (No. 5 in FIFA ranking). The team has hit a bad patch of form — winless in six games — but has a strong track record in recent major tournaments. England was a semifinalist at the World Cup in 2018 and a finalist at the European Championship in 2021.

England was a semifinalist at the World Cup in 2018.

BIG STARS

Lionel Messi, Argentina. The seven-time world player of the year might have been saving his 35-year-old legs for one last push at a World Cup winner’s medal that, to many, would solidify him as soccer’s greatest player. He is in stellar form for Paris Saint-Germain at the moment.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal. He has won the European Championship but the leading scorer in men’s international soccer hasn’t played in a World Cup final, let alone won one. He’s 37 years old now and no longer first choice at Manchester United.

Kylian Mbappé, France. The star of the last World Cup at the age of 19 and he is only getting better. The speedy striker could match Brazil great Pelé in being a champion at his first two World Cups.

Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium. Widely regarded as the world’s best midfielder, his driving runs and crossing are among the best sights in soccer. Belgium will be thankful he is arriving in Qatar healthy.

HOW IT WORKS

There are eight groups of four teams, with the top two advancing to the 16-team knockout stage.

There will be four games back-to-back per day — for most of the first two sets of group games, then simultaneous kickoffs for the last two games in each group.

There’ll be no break for the knockout stage, which begins the day after the group stage ends. The first day without a match comes on Dec. 7 — the 17th day of competition.

MUST SEE GAMES

Qatar vs. Ecuador, Sunday. The first match of the tournament and always a date to save on the calendar.

Argentina vs. Mexico, Nov. 26. The first of the big continental rivalries in the group stage, with Messi potentially sealing his and Argentina’s spot in the last 16.

Spain vs. Germany, Nov. 27. Surely there can’t have been many bigger group-stage matches than this at a World Cup? Two recent champions, two giants of European and world soccer.

Iran vs. United States, Nov. 29. It has been labeled as “The Mother of All Games Part II.” Just like at the World Cup in 1998, the two countries will meet in the group stage in a politically charged matchup. Diplomatic relations have yet to be restored between the nations since being severed in 1980.

Ghana vs. Uruguay, Dec. 2. Anyone remember the night of July 2, 2010? In the last minute of extra time in a World Cup quarterfinal match between Uruguay and Ghana, Luis Suarez deliberately stopped the ball with his hand on the goalline, got sent off, only for Ghana to miss the penalty and lose in a shootout as Suarez celebrated on the sideline. Revenge would be sweet for Ghana.

INJURIES

Injuries have hit some of the world’s best players ahead of the tournament.

Among those definitely missing are France midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, Germany forward Timo Werner and England defender Reece James.

Thanks to Ariana Television Network, Afghan football fans will share in this extravaganza as matches will be broadcast live throughout the tournament.
All you have to do is tune in to Ariana Television to get the live coverage of one of the world’s greatest sporting events.
For the full broadcasting schedule CLICK HERE