Hope you’re well today and, like us at HAA, looking forward to the holiday season kicking into high gear. That said, there’s one more event you don’t want to miss that’s happening this time of year — the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
If you’re a diehard soccer fan, this info may be old news. But if you’re new to the world of professional soccer (or want to catch your friends up to speed), this will help you watch with a newfound appreciation and give you the upper hand on small talk at all your upcoming holiday parties.
- The men’s World Cup began Sunday, November 20, and continues until Sunday, December 18. The World Cup is soccer’s most prestigious tournament. This year’s tournament is in Qatar — the smallest nation ever to host the tournament and one that has caused some serious controversy on the international stage.
- Usually hosted in the summer months, this year’s World Cup is the first to be held during the winter. FIFA officials believed Qatar’s extreme heat would have been too dangerous for players.
- The tournament happens every four years. In 2018, 1.12 billion people tuned in to watch the World Cup final — that’s ten times more than the 99 million people who watched the Super Bowl this past February.
- The U.S. Men’s National Team’s matches will be broadcast live on FOX Sports in the U.S.
- The U.S. is in Group B, along with England, Wales, and Iran. There are eight groups in total, with four teams each. The four countries in each group will face the other countries one time before the group “stage” is completed. A win in a group match gives a country three points, a draw is worth one point, and a loss does not result in any points.
- The two teams with the most points in each group advance to the “Round of 16,” the tournament’s single-elimination play. A loss in the Round of 16 ends a country’s World Cup bid.
W’ll be watching when we can — and we hope you will too!
