World Cup Fever is on! All about the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
This month is going to be exciting – the 2022 FIFA World Cup is back with a bang this 20th November! Taking place once every four years, this year’s edition will take place in Qatar until the 18th of December. It will be the first time the competition has taken place in the Arab World.
Facts about Qatar
- Most of Qatar consists of desert land – in fact, 99% of the population live in its capital city, Doha.
- The country’s name dates back to as early as 50 AD – Roman writer Pliny the Elder referred to Qatar’s inhabitants as ‘Catharrei’ – sounds familiar, right? In fact, the country was named ‘Catara’ until the 18th
- Only 15% of the population is Qatari, the rest are foreign workers.
- It is also one of the world’s richest countries by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, a whopping $138,910!
- The flag’s colours are white and maroon – the latter colour signifies one of its innovations, which is that Al Khor island was the very first country to produce purple dye from shellfish!
- Its national animal, the Arabian Oryx, appears on the logo of its national airline, Qatar Airways. Not to mention, it was saved from extinction in the 70s!
Who will participate?
A total of 32 teams have qualified for the championship from Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Australia and the Middle East! Since Qatar will be the host country, they have qualified automatically. In addition, the country will make its World Cup debut!
The teams will be divided into 8 groups from A to H – here is a full breakdown of the teams belonging to each group.
What is this year’s mascot?
You will meet this year’s World Cup mascot, La’eeb, whom FIFA have described as “fun and mischievous”. His name translates to ‘super-skilled player’ in Arabic. He comes from a “mascot-verse”, which is a world that invokes creativity and where characters live in people’s minds.
His shape takes the form of a ‘gutra’ or traditional headdress worn in Qatar.
Why is the 2022 World Cup not taking place in summer?
Unlike previous years, this year’s edition will take place between November and December due to Qatar’s intense heat during the summer months. Temperatures during May and September rise to over 40°C, while between November and December range between an average of 21°C to 24°C. (Sportstar, 2022). As a result of this change, domestic and international football leagues had to be scheduled earlier than usual with a break in between.
The World Cup opening ceremony…
… will take place on Sunday, the 20th of November at 4pm Central European time, with the matches kicking off an hour later. Qatar will play their first-ever match against Ecuador on this night!
Details are yet to be announced, so stay tuned on our social media to learn more.
What is this year’s World Cup anthem? (Official and unofficial)
One thing which many of us associate with the World Cup is music. In 1990 it was all about ‘Notti Magiche’, in 2010 we sang and danced to ‘Waka Waka’, and four years later you would not go anywhere without hearing Shakira’s “La La La”…
This year’s official World Cup anthem is “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)”, performed by American singer Trinidad Cardona (known for his TikTok hit ‘Dinero’), Nigerian singer Davido and Qatari singer AISHA. Listen to the song below;
Other unofficial World Cup anthems for this year’s edition include ‘Yet to Come’ by South Korean supergroup BTS, sung in Korean and English, as well as a cover of Queen’s ‘A Kind of Magic’ with an Arab twist, performed by Mexican singer and actress Danna Paola, Egyptian rapper Felukah and Saudi singer Tamtam.
How can I watch the FIFA World Cup from home?
If you’re in Malta during the World Cup 2022 you may watch the matches live on TVM and TVM Sports+.
If not, you may follow the games via Television Malta online. Should you have a TV license in your home country, you may be able to watch online with a subscription.
Alternatively, click here to see which channels and broadcasters will be showing the games in your country.
Bars and restaurants in Malta showing the matches
You will find many sports bars around the island of Malta showing the World Cup games, especially in St. Julians. ESE’s in-house restaurant Café Cuba Paceville will be one of the locations where you can watch the Beautiful Game.
Focus on Fluency
- Championship (n) – a contest for the position of champion in a sport or game
- Qualified (v) – become eligible for a competition or its final rounds, by reaching a certain standard or defeating a competitor
- Proximity (v) – nearness in space
- Mischievous (adj) – causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way
- First-ever (adj) – happening or experienced for the first time
- Coincides (v) – occurs at the same time
- Anthem (n) – a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group or cause
- Coverage (n) – the area reached by a broadcasting station or advertising medium
- The Beautiful Game (phrase) – football.
Contact us on [email protected] if you would like to be in Malta during the World Cup games and brush up your English language at the same time.
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