FIFA has formally moved the football World Cup start up by one day and given host nation Qatar an exclusive Sunday evening slot with a global audience. (More Football News)
Qatar will now play Ecuador in Doha on November 20 – just 101 days after FIFA's decision Thursday – stretching the World Cup to 29 days from the 28 agreed seve🏅n years ago after a June-July tournament was pushed back to avoid the searing desert heat in midsummer.
The surprise late switch was signed off by a FIFA committee comprising its president Gianni Infantino and presidents of the six continental football bodies. FIFA said the vote was unanimous. The pl🌳an was revealed Wednesday after several rounds of ticket sales to fans worldwide since last year.
“FIFA will seek to address any issues arising from this change in a ca🌌se-by-case basis,” football's world body said Thursday regarding fans whose travel plans are affected.
Th🎐e date change was said to be supported by tournament organisers in the tiny gas-rich emirate, South American football body൩ CONMEBOL and the two teams' national football federations.
Qatar will now make its World Cup debut kicking off against Ecuador at🌌 7 PM local time on November 20 after an opening ceremony on the field at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium.
The opening game until Thursday's decision was Netherlands-Senegal iꦬn Qatar's Group A, starting at 1 PM local time on November 21, a Monday. T✤hat game is pushed back six hours to the 7 PM Monday slot vacated by Qatar-Ecuador.
