FIFA World Cup 2022 - statistics & Facts
The 2022 FIFA World Cup took place in Qatar from November 20 to December 18. It was the 22nd edition of the World Cup, with the tournament first taking place in 1930. It was also the first World Cup held in an Arab nation, and only the second to be held in Asia. After an eventful tournament, Argentina emerged as winners, with Lionel Messi lifting the country's third World Cup title following a dramatic final victory against France.
After Qatar won the bid for the rights to host the World Cup 2022 back in December 2010, accusations were made of corruption, bribery, and cheating by the Qatar bid committee to obtain these rights. An internal investigation by FIFA was launched, but in its final report, it was concluded that there was no wrongdoing by Qatar. The country subsequently faced intense criticism due to its treatment of migrant workers in the construction of the stadiums ahead of the tournament.
The host nation - Qatar
Qatar is a peninsula in the Persian Gulf with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Eight stadiums hosted the tournament's World Cup matches, mostly located towards the eastern coast of the 11.6 thousand square kilometer (or 4.5 thousand square mile) large peninsula. Six stadiums had a capacity of roughly 40 thousand spectators, with the Al Bayt Stadium hosting the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador on November 20. The Lusail Stadium, also known as the Lusail Iconic Stadium, hosted the tournament's final.After Qatar won the bid for the rights to host the World Cup 2022 back in December 2010, accusations were made of corruption, bribery, and cheating by the Qatar bid committee to obtain these rights. An internal investigation by FIFA was launched, but in its final report, it was concluded that there was no wrongdoing by Qatar. The country subsequently faced intense criticism due to its treatment of migrant workers in the construction of the stadiums ahead of the tournament.
