The host nation
The FIFA World Cup 2022™ in Qatar was the first edition of the tournament to be hosted in the Middle East and the most geographically compact since the inaugural installment in 1930. The finals took place between 20 November and 18 December 2022.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ was the 22nd edition of the tournament. The tournament involved:
One host country and eight stadiums;
32 teams;
64 matches.
Three matches played at Lusail Stadium, including the final, recorded the highest-attendance (88,966) for a FIFA World Cup fixture since the final of the 1994 tournament, in which 94,194 fans descended on the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA in the United States to see Brazil take on Italy.
Key match facts
A record number of groundbreaking achievements were witnessed at Qatar 2022. A host of memorable moments were served up, both on and off the pitch, with many matches considered to be history in the making.
Record-breaking achievements
Qatar became the 80th nation to compete at the FIFA World Cup.
Goalscorer
Aged 18 years and 110 days, Spain’s Gavi was on target in La Roja’s 7-0 win over Costa Rica to become the youngest World Cup goalscorer since Pelé at the 1958 finals.
Global visitors
Fans descended on Qatar from across the world.
local and international Hayya cardholders were in attendance. The Hayya card permitted free travel on Qatar's public transport systems on the day of a match if attendees held a match ticket for such match and the Hayya Card.
World Cup appearance
Lionel Messi made his 26th FIFA World Cup finals appearance in the 2022 final, surpassing the record set by Lothar Matthäus.
Fastest goal
Canada’s Alphonso Davies scored the fastest goal at Qatar 2022, with his strike against Croatia timed at just 68 seconds.
Match statistics
Thirty-two teams battled it out for FIFA World Cup glory in Qatar, with Argentina ultimately claiming the coveted crown.
Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
Group B: England, IR Iran, USA, Wales
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia
Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, Korea Republic
Tournament highlights:
| Most goals | 16 (France) |
| Most wins | 5 (France) |
| Top goal-scorer | (8) Kylian Mbappé |
| Goals in the first 10 minutes of regulation time | 12 (6.98%) |
| Yellow cards | 227 (avg./game: 3.55) |
| Red cards | 4 (one straight red card, and three following a second yellow card) |
| Most yellow cards | 16 (Argentina) |
Firsts at Qatar 2022
Middle East and midseason
It was the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted in the region and the first edition not held in the summer.
African semifinalists
Qatar 2022 was the first time an African team made it to the semi-finals, with Morocco’s incredible campaign capturing the hearts of fans.
Female refereeing trio
Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a FIFA World Cup finals match. The French official lined up alongside assistants Neuza Back and Karen Diaz to form the first-ever female trio to officiate a game at the tournament.
Four-game knock-out stage scoring streak
Lionel Messi became the first player to score in four successive FIFA World Cup knock-out matches since the round of 16 was introduced at the 1986 finals in Mexico.
Player to score at five editions of the World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score in five FIFA World Cup campaigns (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022).
Volunteers
A diverse group comprising around 20,000 skilled, multilingual and motivated volunteers helped to deliver the FIFA World Cup while showcasing the true spirit of Qatar. More than 400,000 volunteer applications were submitted for a programme that involved a rigorous selection and training process. The selected volunteers represented a spectacularly diverse mix of 150 nationalities and involved participants from all walks of life who ranged in age from 18 to 77.
World Cup Volunteers
The heartbeat of the game
Volunteer applications received – a FIFA World Cup record
Volunteers of 150 nationalities, with 17,000 Qatari residents and 3,000 international volunteers
Volunteer hours completed, equating to 160,539 shifts
Spectator service volunteers assisted with information, wayfinding, ticket checking, accessibility services, the lost and found facility and much more across the eight stadiums.
Hours of training delivered by the volunteer training team, with over 350 in-person training sessions held at the Volunteer Centre
Spectator service volunteers and 33 contractors were assigned exclusively to mobility assistance services