Macau, a goal up in 2022 qualifier, pull out of Sri Lanka return over security fears
June 11 – Macau have refused to travel to Sri Lanka to complete their 2022 World Cup qualifier citing concerns over safety in the country.
World Cup
The road to the Qatar 2022 World Cup kicks off in Mongolia tomorrow
By Paul Nicholson
June 5 – With all the recent distractions of FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s geo-political game-playing around a 48-team Qatar 2022 World Cup out the way, preliminary qualification begins tomorrow for a good ‘old-fashioned’ 32-team one, with the road to Doha beginning in Mongolia.
48 into 32 doesn’t go. FIFA drops Infantino’s push for expanded Qatar World Cup
By Andrew Warshaw
May 22 – Gianni Infantino’s hopes of expanding the Qatar World Cup to 48 teams have been dealt a crushing blow with FIFA announcing it has ditched the idea – exactly two weeks before it was due to be debated by the organisation’s entire global membership.
Decision on expanded 48-team Qatar 2022 World Cup will be made at Paris Congress in June
By Andrew Warshaw
May 21 – Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organising chief has confirmed that a decision will definitely be made one way or the other at the upcoming FIFA Congress over possible expansion to 48 teams – but won’t say which way it will go.
Aussies launch 2023 Women’s World Cup bid but say it will need more that $5m to win
May 21 – Australian FA (FFA) boss David Gallop has said it will take “many millions of dollars” of government funding to win the hosting rights for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, at the official launch of Australia’s bid for the tournament.
Qatar opens Al-Wakrah stadium with fireworks and a Cup Final
May 17 – Qatar officially opened its latest World Cup 2022 stadium Thursday as it staged a prestigious domestic cup final in the $575 million, 40,000-capacity Al-Wakrah venue.
Qatar’s Al Wakrah Stadium to open with Emir Cup final
May 15 – Another milestone in the development of 2022 World Cup infrastructure will be achieved on Thursday when the newly-built 40,000-capacity Al Wakrah Stadium hosts its first competitive game, the domestic Emir Cup final.
FIFA calls-in human rights bodies in bid to find ‘acceptable’ location for 2022 expansion
April 29 – FIFA has written to human rights groups to hold talks about issues related to a potential expansion of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams as Gianni Infantino and the governing body continue their push to find one more regional co-host for the tournament.
Joint Korean bid evaporates as South decide to go solo for 2023 hosting rights
April 23 – It always seemed an unlikely, if ground-breaking, prospect, both from a sporting and political standpoint. And now it appears to have reached the end of the road with South Korea’s FA (KFA) dropping neighbours North Korea from possible co-hosting the 2023 Women’s World Cup, apparently due to lack of proper coordination.
AFC draws teams for first round of Qatar 2020 qualifying
April 17 – The draw for the first phase of Asia’s qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup finals was made on Wednesday despite the fact that the continent doesn’t know for sure how many teams will be represented in Qatar.
Infantino’s one-man mission for 48-team 2020 World Cup lands in Kuwait
April 15 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s determination to win his battle to expand the 2022 World Cup beyond Qatar’s borders has taken him to Kuwait in a last-ditch effort to pull in another 16 finalists in three years’ time.
Samuel Eto’o joins Qatar 2022 as a global ambassador
April 15 – African football legend Samuel Eto’o has joined the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) as a Global Ambassador.
Infantino still rates chances of 48-team 2022 at 50-50
April 12 – The chances of FIFA increasing the number of teams at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from 32 to 48 is around 50-50, Gianni Infantino has admitted.
Oman closes door on co-hosting 48-team 2022 World Cup
April 10 – A major spanner has been thrown into the plans of Gianni Infantino to share the 2022 World Cup with Qatar’s neighbours.
Al-Khater says Qatar 2020 still at 32-teams, though feasibility study for 48 is in play
April 9 – Qatar has indicated it will not be pressured into having the 2022 World Cup expanded to 48 teams against its will.