It all starts a month from now.
The World CupQatar is looming ever larger in the horizon. The countdown has begun to the 64th game at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday December 18.
Doubts never cease to exist Qatar’s suitabilityTo host the World Cup It is also ready to receive more than one million visitors, but the biggest names in football are about to descend on a tiny Gulf nation that’s half the size of Wales and roughly as big as the US state of Connecticut.
These last weeks of preparation are unique in the history of the World Cup. The domestic seasons will not end until the weekend before the opening group games. This compressed schedule brings with it injury risk and uncertainty about availability.
This week will see the submission of the first provisional teams FIFA, which organises the tournament in its role as world football’s governing body, before final parties are named next month.
The Athletic evaluates the challenges faced by the 32 qualified teams’ managers and coaches.
What’s the first cut that players have to make?
That’s tomorrow (Friday, October 21), a date that was initially meant to mark a month out from the competition before it was decided that hosts Qatar’s opening game with EcuadorOne day would be pushed forward.
