The 2022 FIFA World Cup marked the 22nd edition of the global football championship organised by FIFA.
This time, it happened in Qatar from November 20 to December 18, 2022, as the host nation was granted the privilege back in 2010.
This event was historic, being the first World Cup in both the Arab and Muslim world, and the second one in Asia, following the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
2022 FIFA World Cup
Tournament details
| Host country – Qatar | |
| Dates – 20 November – 18 December | |
| Teams – 32 (from 5 confederations) | |
| Venue(s) – 8 (in 5 host cities) |
Final positions
| Champions – Argentina (3rd Title) | |
| Runners-up – France | |
| Third Place – Croatia | |
| Fourth Place – Morocco |
Tournament statistics
| Matches played – 64 | |
| Goals scored – 172 | |
| Attendance – 3,404,252 (53,191 per match) | |
| Top scorer – Kylian Mbappé (8 Goals) | |
| Best player – Lionel Messi | |
| Best young player – Enzo Fernández | |
| Best goalkeeper – Emiliano Martínez | |
| Fair play award – England |
This competition was the final one with 32 teams, as the number will increase to 48 for the 2026 edition.
To sidestep Qatar’s scorching heat, the tournament was held in November and December instead of the usual months of May, June, or July.
The event spanned 29 days, featuring 64 matches across eight venues in five cities. Qatar’s national team automatically entered as hosts, while the other 31 teams earned their spots through qualification.
Kylian Mbappé of France made history by scoring a hat-trick in the final, a feat not seen since Geoff Hurst in 1966, earning him the Golden Boot for the most goals (eight) in the tournament. Lionel Messi, Argentina’s captain, was named the tournament’s best player, winning the Golden Ball. Emiliano Martínez and Enzo Fernández received the Golden Glove and Young Player Award, respectively.
The tournament set a record with 172 goals, the highest in the 32-team format, with every team scoring at least one goal.
Who won the FIFA World Cup 2022?
Argentina captured the title by defeating reigning champion France 4–2 on penalties after a 3–3 draw in extra time.
This victory marked Argentina’s third title and their first since 1986, making them the first non-European nation to win since 2002.
What format was used in the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
The FIFA World Cup is a top-tier football competition where national teams compete, organised by FIFA. It happens every four years, starting in 1930 in Uruguay, and has involved 32 teams since the 1998 edition.
The tournament structure includes eight groups playing round-robin matches, followed by a knockout stage with 16 teams. France were the reigning champions after beating Croatia 4–2 in the 2018 final.
The 2022 World Cup, hosted in Qatar from November 20 to December 18, was unique as the first in the Arab world. Notably, spectators weren’t subjected to most COVID-19 restrictions like social distancing, mask-wearing, or negative tests.
Why did the schedule of the 2022 FIFA World Cup change?
Unlike past FIFA World Cups, usually held in June and July, the 2022 edition took place in November and December due to Qatar’s intense summer heat.
This unique scheduling affected domestic football leagues, including major European ones, which had to adjust their seasons with extended breaks.
To accommodate the World Cup, major European competitions arranged group matches before the tournament to avoid playing them the following year.
Read More:
FIFA World Cup History: A Deep Dive (Everything You Need To Know)
What was the prize money for the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
In April 2022, FIFA revealed the rewards for every team in the competition. Ahead of the event, each qualifying team got $1.5 million to assist with preparation expenses, ensuring that each team earned a minimum of $9 million in prize money.
The overall prize pool for this edition amounted to $440 million, an increase of $40 million compared to the previous tournament.
Below is the list of how each team was assisted:
| Place / Teams | Per team / Total |
|---|---|
| Champions / 1 | $42 – $42 |
| Runners-up / 1 | $30 – $30 |
| Third place / 1 | $27 – $27 |
| Fourth place / 1 | $25 – $25 |
| 5th–8th place / 4 | $17 – $68 |
| 9th–16th place / 8 | $13 – $104 |
| 17th–32nd place / 16 | $9 – $144 |
| Total 32 | $440 |
Were there any rule changes made in the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
The tournament introduced new substitution rules allowing teams to make up to five substitutions during regular time and an extra substitution in extra time.
Additionally, it marked the first World Cup to include concussion substitutions, enabling each team to use a maximum of one concussion substitute per match.
Importantly, a concussion substitution did not count toward a team’s regular substitution limit.
In the match between Iran and England, Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand suffered a concussion and was replaced by Hossein Hosseini, marking the inaugural use of a dedicated concussion substitute in a World Cup.
Stadiums used in the tournament
Below is the list of stadiums used in the 2022 FIFA World Cup:
| City | Stadium | Cap. |
|---|---|---|
| AI Rayyan | Ahmad bin Ali Stadium | 45,032 |
| AI Khor | AI Bayt Stadium | 68,895 |
| AI Wakrah | AI Janoub Stadium | 44,325 |
| Doha | AI Thumama Stadium | 44,400 |
| AI Rayyan | Education City Stadium | 44,667 |
| AI Rayyan | khalifa Intl. Stadium | 45,857 |
| LusaiI | LusaiI Stadium | 88,966 |
| Doha | Stadium 974 | 44,089 |
What were the costs of hosting the tournament?
With an estimated expense exceeding $220 billion, it stands as the priciest World Cup to date.
However, Qatari officials, including organizing CEO Nasser Al Khater, dispute this figure, asserting that the actual cost was $8 billion.
There are additional figures linked to the overall infrastructure development since Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010.
Conclusion
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was a historic event, not only for its football spectacle but also for breaking new ground in terms of hosting in the Arab and Muslim world. The tournament saw a change in format, with 32 teams participating for the last time before an expansion to 48 teams in the 2026 edition.
Notable achievements included Kylian Mbappé’s hat-trick and Argentina’s triumph over reigning champion France in a thrilling final. The introduction of concussion substitutions added a layer of player safety, marking a significant step forward.
The event set records with the highest goal count and showcased a unique schedule to combat Qatar’s scorching heat. Despite concerns over the cost of hosting, the tournament left an indelible mark on the football landscape.
