FIFA World Cup 2022: From Format to Past Winners, Learn Everything About the Tournament in #ClassesWithNews18

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FIFA World Cup, which started in 1930 with just 13 countries now features 32 countries, know everything about the sporting event which started 92 years ago in ClassesWithNews18

The FIFA world cup 2022 is taking place in Qatar since November 20 and will continue till December 18. It is the 22nd edition of what is now an event that has grown in scale and scope in ways scarcely imaginable 92 years ago. From 13 countries in 1930, it now features 32 and will expand to 48 in 2026.

One of the most popular sporting event in the world, the football world cup draws billions of television viewers every tournament. As football fans and followers eagerly wait for the world cup every four years, it is time to explore all the key details of the FIFA world cup.

History

The FIFA world cup, often simply called the world cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA, the International Federation of Association Football), the sport’s global governing body. The tournament has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the second world war.

The trophy cup awarded from 1930 to 1970 was the Jules Rimet Trophy, named after the Frenchman who proposed the tournament. This cup was permanently awarded in 1970 to then three-time winner Brazil (1958, 1962, and 1970), and a new trophy called the FIFA world cup was put up for competition.

Also read| What Will Happen to Qatar’s Stadiums After FIFA World Cup is Over? Explained

Past Winners

The reigning champions are France, who won their second title at the 2018 tournament in Russia. The trophy has been won by eight national teams. Brazil has won five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament. The other world cup winners are Germany and Italy, with four titles each; Argentina, France, and inaugural winner Uruguay, with two titles each; and England and Spain, with one title each.

Tournament Format

From 1934 to 1978, 16 teams participated in each tournament. It was then expanded to 24 teams for the 1982 world cup in Spain and then for the first time in the competition, the group stage was expanded from 24 teams to 32 for the 1998 world cup. The modern-day format includes 8 groups of 4 teams each that allows for simultaneous last round of matches with more sporting drama and unexpected results.

A total of 32 nations will take part in the 2022 FIFA world cup. Participating teams will be playing three matches each at the group stage. The group stage fixtures will be played in a round-robin format. Three points are awarded for a victory and one for securing a draw. Top-two teams from each group advance to the knockouts.

FIFA World Cup 2022

The FIFA world cup in Qatar is the first one to be hosted by an Arab country. The November-December window is not ideally famous for hosting the FIFA world cup but the organisers were forced to make the change, considering the extreme summer heat in Qatar. It has invested $300 billion in the tournament’s preparations, which have been dogged by controversy from the start.

There are 32 nations ready to compete against each other and a total of 64 games will be played to determine the winner of the world cup. This time, the first and opening match of the FIFA world cup was played on 20 November, at 15:30 at Al Bayt Stadium. The final will be played on December 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium. The Qatar national football team entered the event automatically, their first world cup, alongside 31 teams who were determined by the qualification process. Qatar lost all three group matches; they became the first hosts to lose every game.

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