INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
FIFA has officially brought forward the opening match of this year&s World Cup by one day to 20 November in a rare change so that hosts
Qatar feature in the gala game.FIFA said in a statement this week that football&s top officials universally approved the decision, while
Qatar said it would give unspecified help to fans affected by the change.On the old schedule, Qatar against Ecuador was to be the official
inauguration match on 21 November but Senegal against Netherlands would be the first match of the day
England against Iran would have been the second.Qatar had also been frustrated as it has invested in a huge opening ceremony show.Host
country Qatar will now play Ecuador on Sunday 20 November as part of a stand-alone event,& said FIFA.The opening match and ceremony of this
year&s tournament at Al Bayt Stadium have been brought forward one day following a unanimous decision taken by the bureau of the FIFA
Council today (Thursday).The bureau is made up of FIFA leader Gianni Infantino and the six heads of the continental confederations.The
change ensures the continuity of a long-standing tradition of marking the start of the World Cup with an opening ceremony on the occasion of
the first match featuring either the hosts or the defending champions,& added FIFA.Under the new plan, the Group A game between Senegal and
the Netherlands has been shifted from 13:00 (14:30 Kabul time) on 21 November to a 19:00 start
There is no change to England&s opening Group B clash against Iran.Qatari organizers, who have spent billions of dollars preparing for the
event, immediately welcomed FIFA&s gesture.Opening the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle East and Arab world is a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Qatar,& said the organizing committee in a statement.The impact of this decision on fans was assessed by
We will work together to ensure a smooth tournament for the supporters affected by the change,& they added without giving details.Ariana
Television Network (ATN) meanwhile announced in July it had secured the exclusive rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
in
Afghanistan.According to company officials, the broadcasting schedule will be revised to include the events of November 20.Ariana Television
Network, the Official and Exclusive broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Afghanistan, has worked closely with FIFA to bring what
is undoubtedly the world&s most prestigious event into as many homes in Afghanistan as possible.While not much has been revealed about the
opening ceremony, the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is reported to have special plans for the event, with some reports indicating
he has a big fireworks display planned.For the revised match schedule CLICK HEREThe post FIFA brings opening match of World Cup in Qatar
forward by one day first appeared on Ariana News.
