Doha: The countdown for the world’s biggest football tournament is over. FIFA World Cup 2022 kicked off with a grand opening ceremony at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor in Qatar on Sunday. However, Qatar suffered the ignominy of being the first host nation to lose a World Cup opener as Ecuador got off to a winning start, thanks to a superb performance from their captain Enner Valencia!

 

Throngs of fans were already arriving in Qatar but the main rush will be later this week. Around 1.2 million football fans are expected to attend the FIFA World Cup 2022. For a small country like Qatar, it is a matter of honour to host such a massive tournament. The World Cup is a source of immense national pride for Qatar in its attempt to raise its profile on the global stage and drive toward modernisation.

 

Qatar welcomed football fans and stars from across the world in a glittering opening ceremony at the Al Bayt Stadium. South Korean band BTS’ Jungkook and legendary American actor Morgan Freeman entertained the fans as Qatar became the first Middle East country to host football’s biggest tournament.

 

“Football unites nations and their love for the beautiful game. What brings together nations also brings together communities” stated American actor Morgan Freeman in his monologue during the inaugural ceremony.

 

The flags of the participating teams then arrived with models in team jerseys. The rapidly changing landscape with swift change in songs from several additions pushed the viewers to not blink an eye. Then the mascot of the previous FIFA World Cup arrived and the performance continued.

 

BTS star Jung Kook’s appearance drew a loud cheer who gave a beautiful performance alongside Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi. They both sang Dreamers, which is the official song of FIFA World Cup 2022.

 

The dance performances progressed towards the end with a large barrage of firecrackers from the stadium. The view was purely magical, with people cheering and expressing their excitement for the sport. Ex-French player Marcel Desailly was also seen with the trophy of FIFA World Cup 2022, ahead of the first match of the tournament. Lastly, an Arabic official signed a paper with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and gave a speech in Arabic to welcome everyone.

 

In all 32 teams will be eyeing glory in this once-in-every-four-years football extravaganza. The teams are hosts Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, the Netherlands, England, Iran, U.S.A., Wales, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland, France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia, Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia, Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon, Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea. France is the defending champion, having won their second title in 2018 after defeating Croatia in the final. They will be aiming to defend their crown against a world-class competition offered by these aforementioned teams.

 

It will be the final World Cup tournament for Lionel Messi, the Argentina striker considered one of the greatest ever footballers of all time. It is also highly likely that 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo will don the Portuguese colours for one final time. This marks the first time the Middle East is hosting the event. It is also the first time the World Cup is being held outside the typical June-July window, in order to avoid the desert heat during the summers in Qatar. Eight stadiums across Qatar will be hosting the 64 matches of this tournament.