Confirmed : 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage draw,World Cup kick off date revealed .

 The tournament's opening game will 

see hosts Qatar face Ecuador in Al Khor 

on November 21. Kick-off times and 

venues for the remaining group-stage 

matches are yet to be decided.

Holders France - who could meet England 

in the quarter-finals, providing both sides 

win their groups - were drawn in Group D 

alongside Denmark and Tunisia, and begin

 their defence against the winners of 

Intercontinental play-off 1 - United 

Arab Emirates, Australia or Peru.

Meanwhile, 2010 winners Spain and 2014

 winners Germany were paired against 

each other in Group E alongside Japan 

and one of Costa Rica and New Zealand - 

who will compete in the second Intercontinental

 play-off later this year.

Four-time winners Brazil have been grouped

 with Switzerland and Serbia, both of whom

 who they faced at the same stage in 

2018, and Cameroon. The Selecao's rivals

 Argentina were matched with Saudi 

Arabia, Mexico and Poland.

Louis van Gaal, who has spoken out 

against the decision to hold the World Cup 

in Qatar, will face the hosts with his Netherlands

 side in Group A, which also features Ecuador

 and Africa Cup of Nations champions 

Senegal.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will face 

Uruguay, Canada and South Korea, while 

Belgium - ranked second in the world - 

will take on Ghana, Morocco and Croatia.

Draw result:

Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands

Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales/Scotland

/Ukraine

Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico

, Poland

Group D: France, Peru/Australia/UAE, 

Denmark, Tunisia

Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand

, Germany, Japan

Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

When and where is the 2022 World Cup?

The 2022 World Cup is taking place in Qatar

 in the winter months rather than the usual 

summer ones, due to the heat.

The tournament kicks off on Monday, 

November 21 at the Al Bayt stadium in 

Al Khor with a match that will feature 

the host country.

The final will be played at the Lusail Stadium

 in Doha a week before Christmas on 

Sunday, December 18.

What is the World Cup format 

and schedule?

The 2022 World Cup will feature 32 teams

 in eight groups of four.

Four matches will be played each day during

 the group stage, which will run over a 

12-day period and see winners and runners

-up progress to the round of 16.

Matches will only be assigned to particular

 venues after the finals draw, organizers

 can choose optimal kick-off times to suit 

television audiences in different countries

, as well as supporters out in Qatar.

Unlike at Euro 2020, there will be a third-

place play-off game on December 17.

Group stage: November 21 - December 2

Round of 16: December 3-6

Quarter-finals: December 9/10

Semi-finals: December 13/14

Final: December 18

When will the matches kick off?

FIFA has confirmed the first two rounds

 of matches will kick-off at 1pm, 4pm, 

7pm and 10pm local time (10am, 1pm, 

4pm and 7pm in the United Kingdom).

Kick-off times in the final round of group 

games and knockout-round matches will 

be at 6pm and 10pm local time (3pm and

 7pm UK time).

The final is scheduled to kick off at 6pm

 local time (3pm UK time)

What are the venues?

The group games will take place across 

eight stadia: Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa

 International Stadium, Al Thumama 

Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 

 Stadium, Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, 

Education City Stadium and Al Janoub 

Stadium.