The biggest sporting lawsuit successful the world, the FIFA World Cup, is upon us, with play acceptable to footwear disconnected successful Qatar connected Nov. 20 erstwhile the big federation faces Ecuador astatine 11 a.m. ET. And successful bid to get you acceptable for the biggest contention successful the world, we've enactment unneurotic a primer for the fan. From tourney favorites and fashionable narratives to sleeper picks and immoderate of the much obscure storylines to follow, there's thing present for everyone.
Why a wintertime World Cup?
First things first: yes, you are close if you consciousness similar this is the incorrect clip of twelvemonth for a World Cup. The tourney is usually a June-July event, but it's being hosted by Qatar this year, which has "fry an ovum connected the road" upwind successful the summertime. Originally, Qatar's bid promised that they could wholly air-conditioned stadiums and create artificial flying clouds that would shadiness full matches. Seriously. The mockups looked similar elephantine anime warfare aircraft.
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All of those promises did not travel to fruition successful a mode that would negate an mean summertime somesthesia of 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and truthful the World Cup is taking spot successful November and December. Even then, the stadiums are inactive going to request aerial conditioning for temperatures that volition apt scope into the 80s. The timing of the tourney besides means astir large shot leagues astir the satellite are pausing for a period successful the mediate of their seasons.
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Mark Ogden reports from extracurricular the Lusail Stadium, which volition big the World Cup final.
Schedule
Put your java oregon beverage on. During the radical stage, which goes from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2, the games are played astatine 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET. USMNT fans, the stars and stripes play each of their group-stage matches astatine 2 p.m. ET, and with a fewer exceptions, specified arsenic Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia connected Nov. 22, astir of the 5 a.m. games neglect to get the pulse truly racing, if you request immoderate other slumber and privation to binge the feisty games aboriginal connected successful the day.
Games successful the circular of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals volition instrumentality spot astatine 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET, and the last volition commencement astatine 10 a.m. connected Dec. 18.
Keep your eyes connected these players
This World Cup seems similar it volition yet beryllium the past hurrah for respective players who person defined and dominated the crippled for the past decennary and beyond. At the aforesaid time, plentifulness of players are waiting to measurement into the voids they'll inevitably leave, and there's nary amended spot to bash that than the World Cup.
The aging stars: The 2 astir evident players to notation present are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They're some astatine the World Cup, but their chances astatine hoisting a last trophy don't look equal.
While Ronaldo has languished connected the seat astatine Manchester United and Portugal had to sneak into the World Cup done the playoffs, Argentina is coming disconnected of Messi's archetypal ever large planetary trophy astatine past year's Copa America. Argentina are unbeaten successful 35 matches and besides person the affectional boost of Messi saying that this is his past World Cup, portion Ronaldo ... well, it's Ronaldo. He's astir apt got immoderate cyborg spot and conditioning coach, and we wouldn't stake against seeing him successful 2026 erstwhile the World Cup comes to the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Portugal besides person a overmuch tougher radical than Argentina, which doesn't bode good for Ronaldo's hopes of winning his archetypal World Cup.
Outside of the large two, determination are plentifulness much icons apt taking their last World Cup bows. Luka Modric volition undoubtedly diagnostic for Croatia astatine 37 years old. Brazil is bringing on Dani Alves (39) and Thiago Silva (38). Uruguay volition thin into their brace of 35-year-olds successful Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
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Gab & Juls preview Group C astatine the 2022 World Cup, with Argentina expected to cruise into the knockout rounds.
The young guns: A caller procreation of endowment is acceptable to marque their mark. There's a cavalcade of young Englishmen who would emotion to get the state its archetypal World Cup since 1966, specified arsenic Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka. Bellingham volition beryllium of astir interest, arsenic his exploits for Borussia Dortmund person galore Premier League fans putting him connected their club's wishlist for the January transportation window.
Spain besides person a brace of young stars successful Pedri and Gavi who'll beryllium making their mode from Barcelona to the World Cup. Both teenagers are skilled connected the ball, arsenic befits the traditions of their club. If they spot the tract successful Qatar, they'll undoubtedly nutrient highlights.
There's besides the absorbing lawsuit of Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German winger by mode of England. Musiala, calved successful Germany but raised since property 7 successful England, yet decided to correspond Germany astatine the elder level past year, becoming an integral portion of manager Hansi Flick's set-up.
One bummer for this World Cup: the world's astir electrical young player, Erling Haaland, won't beryllium making an quality aft Norway failed to qualify.
A constituent to prove: This radical is absorbing due to the fact that it includes respective players astatine precise antithetic stages of their careers. Kylian Mbappe has been the "next large thing" for astir his full life, and announced himself to the satellite astatine the 2018 World Cup successful Russia, wherever France won. But helium has yet to predominate the crippled similar a Messi oregon Ronaldo, and immoderate person adjacent questioned his presumption amongst the world's champion players successful airy of him staying successful France with PSG, wherever the contention isn't arsenic beardown arsenic it is successful LaLiga and the Premier League, for example.
Yes, Mbappe's intelligibly good. But helium has stayed successful a cushy relation with PSG, who routinely outshine each home competitors. After the Real Madrid transfer debacle and consequent tendencies to look lackadaisical and dissatisfied successful Ligue 1, volition Mbappe reestablish himself arsenic the heir evident to Messi successful this World Cup?
Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic is conscionable trying to beryllium that helium deserves much respect than helium seems to get astatine Chelsea. His playing clip with his nine has been infrequent astatine best, helium has been prone to agelong acold streaks and helium has struggled with injuries ever since helium joined the club. Pulisic has questions to reply successful this World Cup if the USMNT privation to marque it retired of the radical stage.
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England manager Gareth Southgate gives his thoughts connected Christian Pulisic arsenic a subordinate up of the World Cup successful Qatar.
Vinicius Junior has proven himself worthy of the £38 cardinal interest Real Madrid spent to bring him respective years ago, becoming a staple subordinate of their archetypal squad and 1 of LaLiga's feared wingers. Now, it's clip for him to permission his stamp for Brazil arsenic well. For the past 2 World Cups, Brazil person gone arsenic Neymar has gone, and it's large quality for them that helium has been successful vintage signifier for PSG lately. The modular prime of the squad seldom wavers from twelvemonth to year, but it's often been up to Neymar to springiness Brazil the peculiar condiment they request to get implicit the hump.
Obviously, that hasn't been capable to bring the astir palmy state successful past backmost to World Cup glory (they won their 5th World Cup rubric successful 2002, making the 20-year rubric drought 1 of the country's longest), and it's clip for Brazil to get themselves a caller talisman attacker. Enter Vinicius Junior, oregon Vini for short.
Breakout candidates and comeback stories: Qatar volition besides beryllium an fantabulous accidental to enactment faces to names you whitethorn person heard but haven't seen play, and besides spot caller talent. 23-year-old Rafael Leao is simply a known quantity to fans of Portugal and Serie A, but the AC Milan antheral has a inclination to propulsion disconnected the stupendous that could considerably rise his illustration successful Qatar.
Even little well-known is Australian wunderkind Garang Kuol, an 18-year-old who has already signed an statement to articulation Newcastle successful 2023. Kuol is undeniably green, but he's a dynamic attacker who makes things hap erstwhile helium gets connected the ball.
Then determination are players whose specified beingness astatine the World Cup is simply a distillation of joyousness and relief. Christian Eriksen volition astir apt diagnostic for Denmark, a small much than a twelvemonth aft suffering cardiac apprehension astatine Euro 2020. He has since staged a singular comeback to go a captious portion of Erik 10 Hag's Manchester United squad. If helium features successful the World Cup, it'll beryllium a invited show to fans astir the world.
A World Cup of firsts
This is the archetypal World Cup successful the Middle East, and the archetypal World Cup staged successful the winter. But that doesn't mean coats and scarves.
Temperatures successful Qatar are inactive going to beryllium toasty during the day, which means 2022 volition beryllium the archetypal air-conditioned World Cup. Outdoor aerial conditioning successful the godforsaken astir apt sounds similar a monstrous task with monolithic vigor consumption, but Qatar is trying to usage the prima to their advantage. These air-conditioned stadiums volition tally disconnected of star power. It's practical, and it's besides portion of FIFA's effort to marque this tourney the greenest World Cup to date. Both FIFA and Qatar person pledged to marque this World Cup carbon-neutral. However, carbon analysts and clime advocates person formed doubt connected Qatar's claims and accidental that large sources of emissions are being ignored successful their calculations.
The stadium air-con works then.... pic.twitter.com/GVpzSiXfcM
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) September 7, 2022Naturally, with aerial conditioning and carbon-neutral promises, Qatar 2022 volition beryllium the astir costly World Cup ever staged. It's estimated that Qatar volition extremity up spending good implicit $200 cardinal connected stadiums, hotels and different captious infrastructure. By comparison, Russia spent astir $14 cardinal to signifier the 2018 World Cup.
Must-watch games
While truthful overmuch of the play of the World Cup happens successful the knockout stage, the radical stage volition person plentifulness of juicy games that fans and neutrals alike tin enjoy.
Qatar vs. Ecuador (Nov. 20): It's the archetypal lucifer of the tournament, and galore people's archetypal clip watching Qatar play. While they're not expected to spell peculiarly acold successful this tournament, arsenic the 50th champion squad successful the satellite according to FIFA's rankings, their archetypal lucifer against Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 44) volition beryllium an fantabulous barometer to gauge their strengths and weaknesses.
Senegal vs. Netherlands (Nov. 21): Senegal yet broke done connected the planetary signifier past year, winning their archetypal Africa Cup of Nations. Now, Aliou Cisse's men volition look to beryllium they're 1 of the champion teams successful the satellite against the Netherlands to commencement their tournament.
Senegal are routinely 1 of the world's astir entertaining squads to watch, and this lucifer betwixt Group A's heavyweights looks similar it volition beryllium a crowd-pleaser, but the Lions of Teranga volition besides anticipation against each hopes that their champion player, Sadio Mane, volition person recovered from wounded successful clip for it. The crippled besides carries the added value of being the opener for Louis van Gaal's 3rd and apt last World Cup arsenic manager for the Dutch, particularly arsenic helium has spent the twelvemonth battling wellness issues portion guiding the Netherlands to a 15-game unbeaten run.
Brazil vs. Serbia (Nov. 24): Brazil participate the World Cup arsenic favorites to triumph it all, and they're bringing 9 forwards with them. Nine. It seems to america similar they program connected scoring a batch of goals, and they'll request to fixed however airy they are successful defense. They footwear disconnected their tourney against Serbia (and their guardant tandem of Luka Jovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic).
England vs. United States (Nov. 25): Celebrate Black Friday with immoderate bully aged fashioned imperialist dread. Group B is simply a tricky 1 for everyone involved, with Iran and Wales rounding retired the group. And portion it won't beryllium do-or-die for either of these teams arsenic the 2nd match, the U.S. person a winning grounds against England successful FIFA competitions. The Three Lions volition look for revenge aft finishing 2nd successful their radical down the Americans successful 2010.
Argentina vs. Mexico (Nov. 26): On 1 side, Messi is hoping to triumph his archetypal World Cup. On the different is Mexico, a squad that haven't managed to ace done to the quarterfinal signifier since they were the hosts successful 1986. Former Argentina manager and existent Mexico manager Tata Martino gives this lucifer an absorbing wrinkle, too.
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The Futbol Americas unit judge Giovanni Reyna's signifier for Borussia Dortmund tin lone beryllium a affirmative for the USMNT.
Why should I ticker if the U.S. spell out?
Let america interruption it to you, friend: the U.S. astir surely volition spell out. Only 1 squad of the 32 gets to win, and the U.S. are not considered a favorite. They failed to suffice for 2018 and this squad is precocious connected youthful vigor but debased connected experiences, with astir each subordinate competing successful their archetypal World Cup. No worries, however: there's plentifulness of hostility and play elsewhere.
Brazil participate the World Cup arsenic betting favorites to triumph the full thing, which would beryllium monolithic for the country. While they are the astir decorated state successful each of planetary soccer, it's been 20 years since their past World Cup triumph. After the infamous nonaccomplishment to Germany successful the 2014 World Cup and being bested by Belgium successful 2018, Brazil are hopeless for different triumph.
Defending champions France are besides worthy watching if for nary different crushed than you ne'er cognize what you're going to get. They're a beardown squad, which could nett them consecutive titles. They'd beryllium the archetypal squad to triumph back-to-back men's World Cups since Brazil successful 1962. Then again, France person a wont of imploding erstwhile it comes to World Cups (remember the subordinate revolt successful South Africa successful 2010?). Never acold from situation oregon glory, France are a must-watch.
And did we notation Messi? Because man, does that feline merit a interruption successful the planetary game. Argentina won the World Cup successful 1978 and 1986, but person often faltered astatine the past imaginable moments with Messi successful the team. After yet winning a Copa America past year, tin helium extremity his World Cup vocation astatine an all-time precocious and unafraid GOAT presumption implicit Ronaldo?
Or course, you tin ever basal for immoderate underdogs. Only 8 teams person ever won the men's World Cup to statesman with, leaving a decent accidental that the tourney mightiness spot a first-time winner.
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Gab Marcotti says helium has nary thought what to expect from defending champions France astatine the 2022 World Cup.
Who are you betting on?
If you're looking to marque the games adjacent much interesting, you tin ever instrumentality a look astatine immoderate of the astir fashionable betting lines from Caesars Sportsbook and DraftKings heading into the tournament. (All likelihood are from Caesars Sportsbook unless noted otherwise.)
Golden Boot
Harry Kane +800: He whitethorn bash it conscionable by virtuousness of England going acold successful the tournament, but the squad has played acold excessively conservatively lately for maine to similar betting connected Kane here.
Kylian Mbappe +900: It's hard not to stake connected Mbappe, each things considered. If determination is 1 crushed that I wouldn't, however, it's due to the fact that I'm betting connected his teammate, the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner.
Karim Benzema +1100: Benzema scores oodles of goals, and helium scores them successful the biggest moments. This enactment is astir apt our favourite close now.
Neymar +1200: The upside of betting connected Neymar for the Golden Boot is that Brazil volition apt beryllium 1 of the highest-scoring teams successful the tournament. The downside is that those goals volition apt travel from galore antithetic sources.
Lionel Messi +1200: Messi is simply a decent outcry here, arsenic he'll apt beryllium successful complaint of penalties and escaped kicks for Argentina, but helium often turns into a facilitator and orchestrator archetypal for Argentina with the attraction that helium draws from defenders.
Cristiano Ronaldo +1400: Ronaldo besides draws tons of attraction from defenders, but there's the elemental information that helium hasn't truly looked similar Ronaldo successful a precise agelong time.
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Alejandro Moreno explains wherefore Brazil are the clear-cut favorites to triumph the World Cup successful Qatar.
To triumph World Cup
Brazil +375: If you're going to propulsion your wealth astatine a country, this Brazil squad are arsenic bully arsenic any. And if you privation to stake connected a "favorite," this seems similar the stake to make.
France +650: France are different favorite, but possibly not capable of a favourite for likelihood this debased connected them. Betting connected a victor of the World Cup being a crapshoot anyway, you're astir apt looking for smaller bets with amended odds.
England +1000: England person a large squad and astir won the 2020 Euro, but they'll apt person to decision talented squads close retired of the radical signifier if they advance.
Argentina +500: I don't deliberation Argentina volition triumph the World Cup. But they've got Messi. So who's to say?
Spain +850: This really feels similar a precise bully enactment for Spain, who I deliberation should beryllium favored a spot much than their existent betting enactment suggests.
Germany +1000: This enactment reflects Germany's existent spot amongst European squads. They're good, but they've mislaid their mode a spot successful the past 4 years.
Belgium +1600: Tempting, particularly fixed this whitethorn good beryllium Belgium's past hurrah for their aureate generation. There are acold worse teams you could propulsion wealth astatine here.
Netherlands +1400: It's the aforesaid likelihood arsenic Belgium, but if things enactment retired adjacent to the mode they look similar they volition connected paper, Netherlands volition person a overmuch tougher gully to interest about.
Portugal +1400: I cognize determination are Portugal truthers retired there, but I deliberation they're much apt to exit successful the radical signifier than they are to triumph the World Cup.
And a fewer much amusive ones
Brazil nether 9.5 goals +120 (DraftKings): This 1 goes retired to each the haters. Do you deliberation Brazil volition crumble and not beryllium astir arsenic prolific successful goals arsenic everyone is making them retired to be? +120 connected the nether for the tourney isn't bad.
First clip victor +175 (DraftKings): Hey, lone 7 teams playing successful this tourney person won the World Cup before. Most of those teams represent the favorites, sure, but this stake mightiness springiness you immoderate other inventive connected rooting for the underdog.
A chapeau instrumentality scored successful the last +2500 (DraftKings): We cognize this looks similar a fortunate shot, due to the fact that it is one. But Geoff Hurst did propulsion this disconnected for England successful 1966, truthful it's not impossible. And it's large likelihood for a amusive agelong changeable bet.
Closing successful connected milestones and records
Messi looks to overtake Maradona: Diego Maradona holds the grounds for astir idiosyncratic appearances successful World Cup matches astatine 21. Messi is blistery connected his process astatine 19, and volition astir surely overtake him this World Cup.
Five World Cups, Part 1: Four men's players successful past person scored astatine 4 antithetic World Cups: Pele, Miroslav Klose, Uwe Seeler and Cristiano Ronaldo. If Ronaldo scores successful Qatar, he'll beryllium the lone antheral ever to people successful five.
Five World Cups, Part 2: The grounds for astir World Cups won by a azygous state is five, which lone Brazil has managed to accomplish. On the different hand, Germany could equalize Brazil's grounds of 5 if they triumph successful Qatar.
The Long Shot: The grounds for astir goals successful a World Cup was acceptable by France's Just Fontaine successful 1958, signaling an unthinkable 13 goals. The past clip immoderate subordinate adjacent got to treble digits was Gerd Muller successful 1970 with 10. This grounds doesn't look to beryllium successful peculiar information of falling.
Sleeper teams
Senegal: We've already sung their praises successful this guide, but Senegal are a large squad that volition punish you if you don't springiness them the respect they've earned. They cognize their strategy back-to-front and are led by longtime manager and erstwhile subordinate Aliou Cisse.
They conscionable won AFCON, past had to suffice for the World Cup done 1 of Africa's astir hard paths to the tournament, drawn successful the last circular with Mohamed Salah and Egypt. Their lone large question people is Sadio Mane's health, and whether the Bayern Munich attacker volition beryllium capable to play successful the tourney oregon not.
Canada: Canada haven't been to the World Cup since 1986, but they've emerged from CONCACAF arsenic the squad to beat, with a harvest of endowment featuring immoderate of the champion young players successful the satellite successful Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David.
Iran: Much attraction has been fixed to the matchups successful Group B betwixt England, the United States and Wales. But Iran has a morganatic changeable astatine winning the group. Their affable results from September bespeak they're surely up for it, playing Senegal to a 1-1 gully and beating Uruguay 1-0. They're a pugnacious squad to play against astatine each times, and that's the benignant of squad that tin origin upsets astatine a World Cup.
Denmark: The Danes are portion of the World Cup furnishings astatine this point, but the mode they went done the Euros past twelvemonth was thing to behold, adjacent portion dealing with the traumatic events surrounding Eriksen. Eriksen is backmost and leads a coagulated midfield consisting of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Thomas Delaney. They're a squad that tin determination connected the attacking verve erstwhile they request to, and they person 1 of the easiest groups successful the full competition. Look retired for them successful the knockout rounds.
How to ticker the 2022 World Cup
FOX holds the rights to the 2022 World Cup, and matches volition beryllium dispersed crossed FOX and FS1 for English-language viewers successful the United States. Telemundo volition transportation Spanish-language sum of games.
For those looking to watercourse games, a wide assortment of options volition beryllium unfastened to you. You should beryllium capable to drawback games connected Fubo, Peacock TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Vidgo.
The World Cup last volition instrumentality spot connected December 18th starting astatine 10 a.m. ET, and volition beryllium broadcast connected FOX's main web channel.
Tune into ESPN FC
During the tournament, you tin support up with each of ESPN FC's analysis, absorption and quality via YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. We'll besides person the Gab & Juls podcast wherever Gabriele Marcotti and Julien Laurens dive into the latest quality and gossip, analyse matches with peculiar guests, and springiness their unsocial perspective.
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