2022 FIFA World Cup facts for kids
| كأس العالم لكرة القدم 2022 Kaʾs al-ʿālam li-kurat al-qadam 2022 |
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|---|---|
الآن هو كل شيء
Al-ʾāna huwa kullu šayʾ "Now Is All" |
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| 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 (2.69 per match) |
| Attendance | 3,404,252 (53,191 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Kylian Mbappé (8 goals) |
| Best player | Lionel Messi |
| Best young player | Enzo Fernández |
| Best goalkeeper | Emiliano Martínez |
| Fair play award |  England |
The 2022 FIFA World Cup was a big international football tournament. Men's national teams from around the world competed. It was the 22nd FIFA World Cup ever held. The event took place in Qatar from November 20 to December 18, 2022. This was the first World Cup held in an Arab or Muslim country. It was also the second time it was held entirely in Asia. France was the champion from 2018. They had beaten Croatia in the final.
This tournament was the last one with 32 teams. The next World Cup in 2026 will have 48 teams. The event was held in November and December. This was to avoid Qatar's very hot summer weather. It lasted 29 days, with 64 matches played. These games took place in eight stadiums across five cities. The Qatar national football team played in the World Cup for the first time. They qualified automatically as the host country. Qatar lost all three of their group matches. They were the first host nation to lose every game. They were also the earliest host nation to be eliminated.
Argentina won the final match. They beat the defending champions France 4–2 in a penalty shootout. The game was a thrilling 3–3 draw after extra time. French player Kylian Mbappé scored three goals in the final. This was the first hat-trick in a World Cup final since 1966. Mbappé also won the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot award. He scored the most goals (eight) in the tournament. Argentine captain Lionel Messi was named the best player. He won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball. Emiliano Martínez, also from Argentina, won the FIFA World Cup Golden Glove. This award goes to the best goalkeeper.
Contents
About the World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is a major football tournament. It is held between national football teams. FIFA organizes this event every four years. The first World Cup was played in 1930 in Uruguay. Since 1998, 32 teams have competed. The tournament starts with eight groups of four teams. Then, the top two teams from each group move to a knockout round. The 2022 event was shorter than usual. It ran from November 20 to December 18 in Qatar. This was the first World Cup in the Arab world. Fans did not have to follow most COVID-19 rules.
Why the Schedule Changed
World Cups usually happen in June and July. But Qatar has very hot summers. So, the 2022 World Cup was played in November and December. This meant that many football leagues around the world had to stop playing. They took a break in the middle of their seasons. This was to allow players to compete in the World Cup.
FIFA confirmed the match schedule in July 2020. The group stage was supposed to start on November 21. But Qatar asked FIFA to let their team open the tournament. So, the Qatar vs. Ecuador game was moved to November 20. The final match was played on December 18, 2022. This day is Qatar's National Day. The final was held at Lusail Stadium.
The matches for each group were played in specific stadiums:
- Groups A, B, E, F: Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
- Groups C, D, G, H: Lusail Stadium, Stadium 974, Education City Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium
Prize Money for Teams
In April 2022, FIFA announced the prize money. Every team that qualified got $1.5 million. This was to help with their preparation costs. Each team received at least $9 million in prize money. The total prize money for this World Cup was $440 million. This was $40 million more than the 2018 tournament.
| Place | Teams | Amount (in millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (Quarter-finals) | 4 | $17 | $68 |
| 9th–16th place (Round of 16) | 8 | $13 | $104 |
| 17th–32nd place (Group stage) | 16 | $9 | $144 |
| Total | 32 | $440 | |
New Rules for Substitutions
This tournament had some new rules for players. Teams could make up to five substitutions during normal play. They could make one more substitution if the game went into extra time. It was also the first World Cup to allow "concussion substitutions." If a player got a head injury, a special substitute could come in. This substitute did not count towards the regular substitution limit. For example, Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand was replaced after a concussion. This was the first time a dedicated concussion substitute was used in a World Cup.
Choosing the Host Country
The process to choose the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups started in 2009. Many countries showed interest. In the end, five countries were left to bid for the 2022 World Cup: Australia, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, and the United States.
The FIFA Executive Committee voted in Zürich on December 2, 2010. They chose Qatar to host the 2022 tournament. This decision caused some discussion among media and fans.
The voting results were:
| Bidders | Votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | |
| Qatar | 11 | 10 | 11 | 14 |
| United States | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| South Korea | 4 | 5 | 5 | Eliminated |
| Japan | 3 | 2 | Eliminated | |
| Australia | 1 | Eliminated | ||
Stadiums and Training Bases
Qatar built many new stadiums for the World Cup. Six of the eight stadiums were brand new. They were designed to show Qatar's history and culture. The stadiums also had special cooling systems. These systems aimed to lower temperatures inside by up to 20°C.
Many stadiums were designed to be "zero waste." The upper parts of some stadiums will be taken apart after the World Cup. These parts will be given to countries that need sports facilities. Qatar wanted all stadiums to be certified for sustainability.
The Lusail Stadium was used the most. It hosted 10 matches, including the final. The Al Bayt Stadium hosted nine matches. Most games were played close to the center of Doha.
Stadium 974 was a very special venue. It was made from 974 shipping containers. This number is also Qatar's international phone code. This stadium will be completely taken apart after the tournament. It is the first temporary stadium ever used for a FIFA World Cup. Other stadiums will have their seating capacity reduced by half.
Stadiums
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Lusail | Lusail Stadium | 88,966 |
| Al Khor | Al Bayt Stadium | 68,895 |
| Al Rayyan | Khalifa International Stadium | 45,857 |
| Ahmad bin Ali Stadium | 45,032 | |
| Education City Stadium | 44,667 | |
| Doha | Al Thumama Stadium | 44,400 |
| Stadium 974 | 44,089 | |
| Al Wakrah | Al Janoub Stadium | 44,325 |
Team Base Camps The 32 national teams stayed and trained at special base camps. FIFA announced these locations in July 2022. This World Cup was very compact. 24 of the 32 teams stayed within 10 km of each other. Most teams were in the Doha area. This was the first World Cup since 1930 where players did not need to fly to matches. They could stay at the same training base for the whole tournament.
| Team | Hotel | Training site |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina |
Qatar University Hostel 1 | Qatar University Training Site 3 |
 Australia |
New Aspire Academy Athlete Accommodation | Aspire Zone Training Facilities 5 |
 Belgium |
Hilton Salwa Beach Resort and Villas | Salwa Training Site |
 Brazil |
The Westin Doha Hotel and Spa | Al Arabi SC Stadium |
 Cameroon |
Banyan Tree Doha at La Cigale Mushaireb | Al Sailiya SC Stadium |
 Canada |
Century Marina Hotel Lusail | Umm Salal SC Training Facilities |
 Costa Rica |
dusitD2 Salwa Doha | Al Ahli SC Stadium |
| Croatia |
Hilton Doha | Al Ersal Training Site 3 |
 Denmark |
Retaj Salwa Resort & SPA | Al Sailiya SC 2 |
 Ecuador |
Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha | Mesaimeer SC Training Facilities |
| England |
Souq Al Wakra Hotel Qatar by Tivoli | Al Wakrah SC Stadium |
| France |
Al Messila – A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Doha | Al Sadd SC Stadium |
 Germany |
Zulal Wellness Resort | Al Shamal SC Stadium |
 Ghana |
DoubleTree by Hilton Doha – Al Sadd | Aspire Zone Training Facilities 1 |
 Iran |
Al Rayyan Hotel Doha Curio Collection by Hilton | Al Rayyan SC Training Facilities 1 |
 Japan |
Radisson Blu Hotel Doha | Al Sadd SC New Training Facilities 1 |
 Mexico |
Simaisma, A Murwab Resort | Al Khor SC Stadium |
| Morocco |
Wyndham Doha West Bay | Al Duhail SC Stadium |
 Netherlands |
The St. Regis Doha | Qatar University Training Site 6 |
 Poland |
Ezdan Palace Hotel | Al Kharaitiyat SC Training Facilities |
 Portugal |
Al Samriya Autograph Collection Hotel | Al Shahaniya SC Training Facilities |
 Qatar |
Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel | Aspire Zone Training Facilities 3 |
 Saudi Arabia |
Sealine Beach, a Murwab Resort | Sealine Training Site |
 Senegal |
Duhail Handball Sports Hall | Al Duhail SC 2 |
 Serbia |
Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha | Al Arabi SC Training Facilities |
 South Korea |
Le Méridien City Center Doha | Al Egla Training Site 5 |
 Spain |
Qatar University Hostel 2 | Qatar University Training Site 1 |
 Switzerland |
Le Royal Méridien, Doha | University of Doha for Science and Technology Training Facilities |
 Tunisia |
Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach | Al Egla Training Sites 3 |
 United States |
Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl – Doha | Al Gharafa SC Stadium |
 Uruguay |
Pullman Doha West Bay | Al Ersal Training Site 1 |
 Wales |
Delta Hotels City Center Doha | Al Sadd SC New Training Facilities 2 |
Teams and Qualification
How Teams Qualified
FIFA's six football regions held their own qualifying competitions. All 211 FIFA member countries could try to qualify. The Qatari team qualified automatically as hosts. However, they still played in the Asian qualifying rounds. This was because those rounds also counted for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
Some teams withdrew from qualification. For example, North Korea pulled out due to COVID-19 concerns. Other teams like Vanuatu and Cook Islands also withdrew. This was due to COVID-19 travel rules.
Out of the 32 teams in 2022, 24 had also played in 2018. Qatar was the only team making its World Cup debut. This made them the first host to debut since Italy in 1934. The Netherlands, Ecuador, Ghana, Cameroon, and the United States returned after missing 2018. Canada returned after 36 years. Their last appearance was in 1986. Wales played for the first time in 64 years. Their only previous time was in 1958.
Italy, who had won four times, failed to qualify. This was the second World Cup in a row they missed. They were the only former champions not to qualify. Ghana was the lowest-ranked team to qualify. They were ranked 61st.
Here are the teams that qualified, listed by region:
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AFC (Asia)
CAF (Africa) |
CONCACAF (North/Central America)
CONMEBOL (South America) OFC (Oceania)
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UEFA (Europe) |
The World Cup Draw
The final draw was held in Doha, Qatar, on April 1, 2022. This happened before all teams had qualified. Many famous football players helped with the draw. These included Cafu from Brazil and Lothar Matthäus from Germany.
The 32 teams were put into four groups called "pots." This was based on their FIFA World Rankings. Pot one had host Qatar and the top seven teams. Pot two had the next eight teams, and so on. Teams from the same region usually couldn't be in the same group. However, for European teams, there could be one or two per group.
The draw started with Pot 1 and ended with Pot 4. Each team picked was placed into the next available group. The position for the team within the group was also drawn. This helped create the match schedule.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
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Team Squads
Teams had to name their final squads by November 13. In August 2022, FIFA allowed more players. The final squad size was increased to 26 players. This was up from 23 players in 2018. All teams had 26 players, except for France and Iran. France chose not to replace an injured player. Iran chose 25 players.
Referees and Officials
In May 2022, FIFA announced the officials. There were 36 referees, 69 assistant referees, and 24 video assistant referees. For the first time, women referees worked at a men's World Cup. Stéphanie Frappart from France, Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda, and Yoshimi Yamashita from Japan were chosen. They became the first female referees in a men's World Cup. Frappart made history by officiating the Costa Rica vs. Germany match.
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony took place on Sunday, November 20, 2022. It was held at the Al Bayt Stadium. This was before the first match between Qatar and Ecuador. The ceremony featured appearances by Morgan Freeman and Ghanim Al-Muftah. South Korean singer Jungkook (from BTS) and Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi also performed. It was the first time the Qur'an was recited at an opening ceremony.
Group Stage Matches
The group stage was played from November 20 to December 2. The 32 teams were split into eight groups (A to H). Teams in each group played against each other once. The top two teams from each group moved on to the knockout stage.
| How teams were ranked in groups |
|---|
Teams were ranked in the group stage based on:
|
Group A Highlights
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The first match was Qatar vs. Ecuador. Ecuador won 2–0. Qatar became the first host nation to lose their opening World Cup match. The Netherlands beat Senegal 2–0 in another Group A game.
Senegal then beat Qatar 3–1. This meant Qatar was the first team eliminated from the tournament. They were also the first host nation to be knocked out after only two games. The Netherlands won their group by beating Qatar 2–0. Senegal secured second place by defeating Ecuador.
Group B Highlights
England had a big 6–2 win over Iran. The United States and Wales drew 1–1. Iran then defeated Wales 2–0. This happened after the Welsh goalkeeper got a red card. England and the United States played to a 0–0 draw. England won the group with a 3–0 win over Wales. The United States beat Iran 1–0 to move to the next round.
Group C Highlights
Argentina lost their first game 2–1 to Saudi Arabia. This was a big surprise. Mexico and Poland drew 0–0. Poland's Robert Lewandowski scored his first World Cup goal in a 2–0 win over Saudi Arabia. Argentina then beat Mexico 2–0. Lionel Messi scored the first goal. Argentina won their group by beating Poland 2–0. Poland still qualified for the knockout stage based on goal difference.
Group D Highlights
Denmark and Tunisia played to a 0–0 draw. Defending champions France beat Australia 4–1. Olivier Giroud scored two goals, tying France's all-time top scorer record. Australia then won 1–0 against Tunisia. France beat Denmark 2–1. This made them the first defending champions since 2006 to reach the knockout round. Australia also qualified by beating Denmark 1–0. Tunisia beat France 1–0, but it wasn't enough for them to qualify.
Group E Highlights
Japan surprised everyone by beating 2014 champions Germany 2–1. Spain had a huge 7–0 win over Costa Rica. Costa Rica then beat Japan 1–0. Germany and Spain drew 1–1. Japan then had another upset win, beating Spain 2–1. This meant Japan won the group. Germany beat Costa Rica 4–2, but it was not enough for them to qualify. Japan and Spain moved on.
Group F Highlights
Morocco and Croatia drew 0–0. Belgium beat Canada 1–0. Morocco then beat Belgium 2–0. This was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998. Croatia beat Canada 4–1. Morocco won their group by beating Canada 2–1. Croatia and Belgium played a 0–0 draw. This result eliminated Belgium from the tournament.
Group G Highlights
Switzerland beat Cameroon 1–0. Brazil won 2–0 against Serbia. Cameroon and Serbia played an exciting 3–3 draw. Brazil then beat Switzerland 1–0 to qualify for the knockout stage. Brazil lost their final group game 1–0 to Cameroon. However, Switzerland beat Serbia 3–2. This meant Switzerland qualified, and Cameroon did not.
Group H Highlights
Uruguay and South Korea drew 0–0. Portugal beat Ghana 3–2. Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score in five World Cups. Ghana then beat South Korea 3–2 in a thrilling match. Portugal defeated Uruguay 2–0 to advance. South Korea won 2–1 against Portugal with a late goal. Uruguay beat Ghana 2–0. But South Korea's win meant Uruguay was eliminated based on goals scored.
Knockout Stage Matches
In the knockout stage, if scores were tied after normal time, extra time was played. This meant two 15-minute periods. If still tied, a penalty shoot-out decided the winner.
Bracket
2022 FIFA World Cup knockout stage
Round of 16
The Round of 16 was played from December 3 to 7.
- The Netherlands beat the United States 3–1.
- Argentina defeated Australia 2–1.
- France won 3–1 against Poland.
- England beat Senegal 3–0.
- Croatia won against Japan 3–1 in a penalty shoot-out after a 1–1 draw.
- Brazil beat South Korea 4–1.
- Morocco won against Spain 3–0 in a penalty shoot-out after a 0–0 draw.
- Portugal defeated Switzerland 6–1.
Quarter-finals
The quarter-finals were played on December 9 and 10.
- Croatia beat Brazil 4–2 in a penalty shoot-out after a 1–1 draw in extra time.
- Argentina won against the Netherlands 4–3 in a penalty shoot-out after a 2–2 draw in extra time.
- Morocco defeated Portugal 1–0. Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals.
- France beat England 2–1. This sent France to their second World Cup semi-final in a row.
Semi-finals
The semi-finals were played on December 13 and 14.
- Argentina beat Croatia 3–0. Lionel Messi scored a penalty.
- France won 2–0 against Morocco. They reached their second final in a row.
Third Place Play-off
The third place play-off was played on December 17.
- Croatia beat Morocco 2–1. Morocco finished in 4th place. This was the best World Cup finish ever for an African or Arab nation.
Final Match
The final was played on December 18 between Argentina and France. Both teams had won the World Cup twice before. Argentina took an early 2–0 lead with goals from Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. France then scored two quick goals from Kylian Mbappé to tie the game 2–2. The match went into extra time. Messi scored again, giving Argentina the lead. But Mbappé scored his third goal from a penalty. This made him the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. The score was 3–3. The game went to a penalty shootout. Argentina won the final 4–2 on penalties. This was their third World Cup win, and their first since 1986.
Awards Given
The following awards were given at the end of the tournament:
| Golden Ball | Silver Ball | Bronze Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi |
Kylian Mbappé |
Luka Modrić |
| Golden Boot | Silver Boot | Bronze Boot |
| Kylian Mbappé (8 goals, 2 assists) |
Lionel Messi (7 goals, 3 assists) |
Olivier Giroud (4 goals, 0 assists, 464 minutes) |
| Golden Glove | ||
| Emiliano Martínez |
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| FIFA Young Player Award | ||
| Enzo Fernández |
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| FIFA Fair Play Trophy | ||
| England |
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New Records Set
- A total of 172 goals were scored. This is the highest number of goals in any World Cup tournament.
- Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal became the first player to score in five different World Cup tournaments.
- Morocco finished in fourth place. This was the best World Cup performance ever for any African or Arab nation.
- Kylian Mbappé scored three goals in the final. He was the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final but still lose the match.
- Qatar became the worst-performing host team ever. They lost all three of their group matches.
- Lionel Messi from Argentina played in his 26th World Cup match in the Final. This set a new record for World Cup appearances.
Tournament Marketing
Official Branding
The official logo for the tournament was shown in September 2019. It was designed to look like the FIFA World Cup Trophy. It also looked like an infinity symbol and the number "8". This represented the eight stadiums used. The logo also looked like a traditional shawl. This showed that the tournament was held in late fall. The design also had waves, like desert dunes.
Merchandise and Games
Electronic Arts released a 2022 FIFA World Cup game update for FIFA 23. It came out on November 9, 2022. The update included a World Cup tournament mode. Google also released a mobile mini-game called "Mini Cup." Players could score penalties for their favorite team.
The Panini Group made special stickers and a sticker album for the World Cup. This was their 14th World Cup sticker collection. Collectors could open packs to fill their album with all 32 teams.
FIFA also launched a new app and streaming service called FIFA+. Fans could play games and predict match results.
Official Match Ball
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The official match ball was called "Al Rihla." It was shown on March 30, 2022. Its design was inspired by Qatar's culture and architecture. In Arabic, "Al Rihla" means "the journey." The ball was made to be sustainable. It was the first official match ball made with water-based glues and inks. The ball also had special electronic sensors inside. These sensors could track its speed and position 500 times per second.
The match ball for the final was called the Adidas Al Hilm. "Al Hilm" means "the dream" in Arabic. It had a different color scheme. It was gold, maroon, and red. These colors represented Qatar's flag and the golden Lusail Stadium.
A Trip to Space
FIFA and Qatar Airways did something amazing with SpaceX. Two "Al Rihla" match balls were sent into space! They were launched on a falcon 9 rocket in October 2022. The balls were in a special box powered by starlink. They were brought back to Earth safely. Then, they were shipped to Qatar for the World Cup. This showed how useful reusable rockets can be.
Tournament Music
For the first time, the World Cup had a multi-song official soundtrack. The first song was "Hayya Hayya (Better Together)". It was performed by Trinidad Cardona, Davido, and AISHA. Other songs included "Arhbo" by Gims and Ozuna, and "The World Is Yours to Take" by Lil Baby. "Light The Sky" featured Nora Fatehi, Manal, Rahma Riad, and Balqees. "Tukoh Taka" was performed by Nicki Minaj, Maluma, and Myriam Fares. The final song was "Dreamers" by Jungkook of BTS. He performed it at the opening ceremony.
- "Hayya Hayya (Better Together)" – Trinidad Cardona, Davido and AISHA (Producer: RedOne)
- "Arhbo" – Ozuna and GIMS (Producer: RedOne)
- "The World Is Yours To Take" – Lil Baby and Tears for Fears (Producer: Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley)
- "Light the Sky" – Rahma, Balqees, Nora, Manal (Producer: RedOne)
- "Tukoh Taka" – Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares (Producer: Wassim Salibi)
- "Dreamers" – Jungkook (Producer: RedOne)
Images for kids
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Official logo of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Russian President Vladimir Putin handing over the symbolic relay baton for the hosting rights of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in June 2018
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Six of the eight venues, such as the venue for the final, Lusail Stadium, were new stadiums built specifically for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Some venues, such as the 68,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium, will have its upper tier of seating removed to reduce capacity after the tournament
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Map showing teams that qualified, failed to qualify, or withdrew
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Map showing the final results of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Pre-match pyrotechnics display ahead of the Group A between Qatar and Ecuador. The same display was held before each match.
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The adidas Al Rihla, the official match ball of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
See also
In Spanish: Copa Mundial de Fútbol de 2022 para niños
- FIFA World Cup
- FIFA World Cup hosts
- 2021 FIFA Arab Cup
- 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
