With three months to go, FIFA has formally introduced ahead the World Cup by one day and given host nation Qatar an unique Sunday night slot with a international viewers.
Qatar will now play Ecuador in Doha on November 20 stretching the World Cup to 29 days from the 28 agreed seven years in the past after a June-July event was pushed again to keep away from the searing desert warmth in midsummer.
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The shock late swap was signed off on Thursday by a FIFA committee comprising its president Gianni Infantino and presidents of the six continental soccer our bodies. FIFA mentioned the vote was unanimous.
The plan was revealed on Wednesday after a number of rounds of ticket gross sales to followers worldwide since final 12 months.
Scroll to see Australia’s World Cup fixture
“FIFA will seek to address any issues arising from this change in a case-by-case basis,” soccer’s world physique mentioned Thursday concerning followers whose journey plans are affected.
The date change was mentioned to be supported by event organisers in the tiny gas-rich emirate, South American soccer physique CONMEBOL and the two groups’ nationwide soccer federations.
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Qatar will now make its World Cup debut kicking off in opposition to Ecuador at 7 pm native time on November 20 after a gap ceremony on the area at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium.
The assembly of the world’s No. 49 and No. 44-ranked males’s nationwide groups was initially scheduled 24 hours later on Nov. 21 after the finals event draw was made April 1 in Doha.
In the unique schedule, the opening ceremony was nonetheless deliberate to happen earlier than Qatar-Ecuador regardless of it being the third game of the event, and with simply an hour of free time after the closing whistle of the second game on the schedule, England vs. Iran.
The opening game till Thursday’s resolution was Netherlands-Senegal in Qatar’s Group A, beginning at 1 pm native time on November 21, a Monday. That game is pushed again six hours to the 7 pm Monday slot vacated by Qatar-Ecuador.
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It is unclear why Qatar’s first game was not scheduled in April as the event opener.
FIFA acknowledged in its letter this week the “significant value from a ceremonial, cultural and commercial point of view,” to have the opening ceremony earlier than the event’s first game that includes the host nation.
The choice will drawback Ecuador who’ve a number of gamers based mostly with European groups, and will now have one day’s much less preparation with them. It additionally means a conflict with the climax of the Formulation One season at the close by Abu Dhabi grand prix.
WHO DO THE SOCCEROOS PLAY?
The Socceroos are in Group D, the place they will take on France, Denmark, and Tunisia.
Australia shared a group with France and Denmark at the 2018 event after they drew with Denmark and narrowly misplaced to France 2-1.
Solely two groups from every group advance. If the Socceroos are a kind of groups, they will face a crew from Group C . That group contains Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland.
WORLD CUP GROUP D FIXTURE
November 22: Denmark v Tunisia – Schooling Metropolis Stadium, 12am AEDT
November 23: France v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium, 6am AEDT
November 26: Tunisia v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium, 9pm AEDT
November 27: France v Denmark – Stadium 974, 3am AEDT
December 1: Tunisia v France – Schooling Metropolis Stadium, 2am AEDT
December 1: Australia v Denmark – Al Janoub Stadium, 2am AEDT
