The World Cup group stage will whittle the field for the tournament down from 32 teams to 16, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout phase.
Host nation Qatar will have the traditional honor of playing the World Cup’s first match, which will take place on November 20 against Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium.
That game will kick off a frantic 12-day period during which there will be four games nearly every day. Kickoff times during the group stage will be divided into several time slots, including 5 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. ET, 11 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET.
If teams are tied on points, goal difference is the first tiebreaker followed by goals scored. After that, it will go to head-to-head results between the teams that are tied, followed by goal difference between the teams that are tied and then total goals between the teams that are tied.
If teams are still tied, then it will go to a tiebreaker based on the number of yellow and red cards each team received and then, finally, to drawing of lots.
Here is how the 2022 World Cup group stage will shape up.
Group A
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Qatar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group A schedule (all times ET)
Sun, Nov. 20: Qatar vs. Ecuador, 11 a.m. – Al Bayt Stadium
Mon, Nov. 21: Senegal vs. Netherlands, 11 a.m. – Al Thumama Stadium
Fri, Nov. 25: Qatar vs. Senegal, 8 a.m. – Al Thumama Stadium
Fri, Nov. 25: Netherlands vs. Ecuador, 11 a.m. – Khalifa Int’l Stadium
Tues, Nov. 29: Netherlands vs. Qatar, 10 a.m. – Al Bayt Stadium
Tues, Nov. 29: Ecuador vs. Senegal, 10 a.m. – Khalifa Int’l Stadium
Group B
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| England | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Iran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| United States | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Wales | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group B schedule (all times ET)
Mon, Nov. 21: England vs. Iran, 8 a.m. – Khalifa Int’l Stadium
Mon, Nov. 21: USA vs. Wales, 2 p.m. – Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Fri, Nov. 25: Wales vs. Iran, 5 a.m. – Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Fri, Nov. 25: England vs. USA, 2 p.m. – Al Bayt Stadium
Tues, Nov. 29: Wales vs. England, 2 p.m. – Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Tues, Nov. 29: Iran vs. USA, 2 p.m. – Al Thumama Stadium
Group C
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Argentina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Mexico | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Poland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group C schedule (all times ET)
Tues, Nov. 22: Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia, 5 a.m. – Lusail Stadium
Tues, Nov. 22: Mexico vs. Poland, 11 a.m. – Stadium 974
Sat, Nov. 26: Poland vs. Saudi Arabia, 8 a.m. – Education City Stadium
Sat, Nov. 26: Argentina vs. Mexico, 2 p.m. – Lusail Stadium
Wed, Nov. 30: Poland vs. Argentina, 2 p.m. – Stadium 974
Wed, Nov. 30: Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico, 2 p.m. – Lusail Stadium
Group D
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Denmark | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Tunisia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group D schedule (all times ET)
Tue, Nov. 22: Denmark vs. Tunisia, 8 a.m. – Education City Stadium
Tue, Nov. 22: France vs. Australia, 2 p.m. – Al Janoub Stadium
Sat, Nov. 26: Tunisia vs. Australia, 5 a.m. – Al Janoub Stadium
Sat, Nov. 26: France vs. Denmark, 11 a.m. – Stadium 974
Wed, Nov. 30: Tunisia vs. France, 10 a.m. – Education City Stadium
Wed, Nov. 30: Australia vs. Denmark, 10 a.m. – Al Janoub Stadium
Group E
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Spain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Costa Rica | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Japan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group E schedule (all times ET)
Wed, Nov. 23: Germany vs. Japan, 8 a.m. – Khalifa Int’l Stadium
Wed, Nov. 23: Spain vs. Costa Rica, 11 a.m. – Al Thumama Stadium
Sun, Nov. 27: Japan vs. Costa Rica, 5 a.m. – Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Sun, Nov. 27: Spain vs. Germany, 2 p.m. – Al Bayt Stadium
Thurs, Dec. 1: Japan vs. Spain, 2 p.m. – Khalifa Int’l Stadium
Thurs, Dec. 1: Costa Rica vs. Germany, 2 p.m. – Al Bayt Stadium
Group F
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Belgium | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Morocco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Croatia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group F schedule (all times ET)
Wed, Nov. 23: Morocco vs. Croatia, 5 a.m. – Al Bayt Stadium
Wed, Nov. 23: Belgium vs. Canada, 2 p.m. – Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Sun, Nov. 27: Belgium vs. Morocco, 8 a.m. – Al Thumama Stadium
Sun, Nov. 27: Croatia vs. Canada, 11 a.m. – Khalifa Int’l Stadium
Thurs, Dec. 1: Croatia vs. Belgium, 10 a.m. – Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Thurs, Dec. 1: Canada vs. Morocco, 10 a.m. – Al Thumama Stadium
Group G
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Brazil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Serbia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Cameroon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group G schedule (all times ET)
Thurs, Nov. 24: Switzerland vs. Cameroon, 5 a.m. – Al Janoub Stadium
Thurs, Nov. 24: Brazil vs. Serbia, 2 p.m. – Lusail Stadium
Mon, Nov. 28: Cameroon vs. Serbia, 5 a.m. – Al Janoub Stadium
Mon, Nov. 28: Brazil vs. Switzerland, 11 a.m. – Stadium 974
Fri, Dec. 2: Cameroon vs. Brazil, 2 p.m. – Lusail Stadium
Fri, Dec. 2: Serbia vs. Switzerland, 2 p.m. – Stadium 974
Group H
| Team | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Ghana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| Uruguay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
| South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 |
Group H schedule (all times ET)
Thurs, Nov. 24: Uruguay vs. South Korea, 8 a.m. – Education City Stadium
Thurs, Nov. 24: Portugal vs. Ghana, 11 a.m. – Stadium 974 Stadium
Mon, Nov. 28: South Korea vs. Ghana, 8 a.m. – Education City Stadium
Mon, Nov. 28: Portugal vs. Uruguay, 2 p.m. – Lusail Stadium
Fri, Dec. 2: South Korea vs. Portugal, 10 a.m. – Education City Stadium
Fri, Dec. 2: Ghana vs. Uruguay, 10 a.m. – Al Janoub Stadium
[lawrence-related id=7860,7574,5961]