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  • Thrills and Spills of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar – Pt 1

    Thrills and Spills of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar – Pt 1

    Winter World Cup

    For the very first time in its history, the World Cup will be  held in winter instead of the normal  Summer that it usually hold.

    The Asian country of Qatar usually experiences severe heat around May/June and FIFA had to compensate the country with staging of a winter tournament.

    The WorldCup will end exactly one week before Christmas.

    Most European club sides will go on a break to give room for players to represent their countries at the Mundial.

    Qatar will host the tournament for the first time in its history.

    It will also be the second World Cup hosted in Asia after the 2002 edition staged in South Korea and Japan.

    Qatar’s Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor will host the much-anticipated ceremony. The stadium is located north of Qatar’s capital city, Doha. It has a capacity of 60,000.

    November 20 Opening Ceremony

    Hayya Hayya The track, performed by Cardona, Davido, and Aisha, was released in April 2022. It has been adopted as the official Qatar 2022 theme song

    ‘Hayya Hayya’ means ‘Better together.’ The song’s video features images of Zinedine Zidane, Cafu, Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo, and other football stars.

    Gims and Ozuna rapped the second song for the 2022 World Cup called ‘Arhbo,’ which means ‘Welcome.’ The song’s video features the stadiums that will host the matches.

    The World is Yours to Take The third song of the tournament is ‘The World is Yours to Take,’ performed by Lil Baby. It features sounds from the famous Tears for Fears song ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World.

    Light the Sky ‘Light the Sky’ is the fourth track that will ring in people’s ears between November and December. The song is performed by Balqees, Nora Fatehi, Manal, and Rahma Riad. Its lyrics speak of the world all wanting to come together.

    Participating Teams And Their Groups

    32 teams will be participating at the Mundial and it  consists of eight groups of four countries that will slug it out in Qatar.

    Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands

    Group B: England, Iran, USA, Wales

    Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

    Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia

    Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan

    Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

     

    Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

     

    Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

     

     

    Nigeria’s Kiss Daniel and Patoranking to serenade fans at the Mundial

    Nigeria’s artistes, Kizz Daniel and Pato Ranking will join other world stars to  thrill fans at Qatar 2022.

    Tickets Sales

    The cost of tickets for the Qatar tournament varies from one stage to another. Group stage tickets cost between $70 and $220, and knockout matches between $600 and $1,600.

    Qatar records highest ticket sales

    As of 20th October 2022, FIFA had sold around 2.89 million tickets for the tournament. Qatar recorded the highest sale, followed by the USA and Saudi Arabia. Others are England, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, France, Brazil, and Germany.

    Free Transportation on Matchdays for Fans

    Before traveling to Qatar, the 1.5million expected fans in attendance will have to apply for a Hayya card. This is, essentially, ID that will allow an individual to get into the country, use public transport for free on matchdays and actually get into the games.

     

    Meet Africa’s Representative in Qatar

    Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal,Tunisia and Morocco will be flying the African flag at the soccer FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with kick off on November 20, 2022.

    Ghana qualified for their fourth World Cup after edging out Nigeria on the away goal rule following a 1-1 draw in Abuja. The two sides drew 0-0 in the first leg in Kumasi last week and heading into the return fixture, the Ghanaians only needed a scoring draw to progress.

    For the second time in as many months, Senegal edged out Egypt on penalties. Having beaten the Pharaohs on spot kicks to clinch their first TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations title, the Lions of Teranga repeated the same feat, this time to seal a place in the World Cup.

    The Atlas Lions of Morocco were in emphatic form against the DR Congo at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca, winning 4-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate to sail into their sixth World Cup appearance.

    Karl Toko Ekambi swept home perhaps the most important goal of his career, scoring in the fourth minute of added time as Cameroon beat Algeria 2-1 in Blida to qualify for their eighth FIFA World Cup.

    Elsewhere, Tunisia completed the roster despite being held to a 0-0 draw by Mali at home. The 1-0 victory they picked in Bamako last week proved to be vital, as the Carthage Eagles flew to their sixth World Cup appearance.

    Africa’s Best Prospect

    Current AFCON champions, Senegal has been tipped by soccer pundits to go the farthest in the competition.

    The West African nation reached the Quarter-final of the world Cup held in Korea-Japan in the year 2022.

    The number footballing nation in Africa has been tipped to make it to the Semi-Final of Qatar 2022.

     

    List of Stadiums to be used  during the World Cup

     

    Lusail Stadium

     

    Al Janoub Stadium

     

    Al Bayt Stadium

     

    Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium

     

    Education City Stadium

     

    Al Thumama Stadium

     

    Stadium 974

     

    Khalifa International Stadium

     

    Warning to Fans

     Fans have been warned to adhere to a particular set of rules during the world Cup

    Tourists have been advised they can dress in what they are comfortable in, providing the clothing is modest. The UK government have also provided guidelines, in which they state women should cover their shoulders and avoid wearing short skirts.

    They add that both men and women should not wear shorts or sleeveless tops when in official Qatari areas, such as malls, health care facilities or government buildings.

    Fans have also been warned to stay off display of public affection between opposite sex when around for the mundial.

     

    Public Consumption of beer and other alcoholic drinks have been assigned to designated centers within the country.

     

    Bad business for prostitutes

    Being a highly religious Islamic country, prostitution have been banned in the country.

    As it was with previous worldcup tournaments where prostitutes made a lot of gains, prostitution in Qatar will be reduced or even totally eradicated.

    According to Amnesty International, same-sex relationships can lead to criminal charges and a prison sentence of up to seven years in the country.

     

  • Super Falcons to play Australia, Ireland, Canada in group B at FIFA World Cup

    Super Falcons to play Australia, Ireland, Canada in group B at FIFA World Cup

    Nigeria will play joint-hosts Australia, Canada and Republic of Ireland in Group B of the 9th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals happening in the summer of next year.

    At the draw ceremony held in Auckland/Tâmaki Makaurau on Saturday, it emerged that Nigeria will play Canada in her first match of the competition to be staged in a total of nine cities (five in Australia and four in New Zealand), and which will boast 32 teams – the biggest in the history of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since it began in China in 1991.

    Joint-hosts New Zealand will battle Norway, Philippines and Switzerland in Group A.

    Nigeria, alongside USA, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Japan are the only seven countries to have featured in all previous editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, between China 1991 and France 2019.

    The Falcons were on tour of Canada six months ago, where they played two matches against Olympic champions Canada, losing one narrowly and drawing the other.

  • Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa builds mega school in Jos and dedicates it to his parents

    Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa builds mega school in Jos and dedicates it to his parents

    Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa, has built an international standard school in Jos and dedicated it to his parents, Mr Musa and Mrs Sarah.

    The footballer announced the good news on his Instagram page as he shared photos of the mega school.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the school was named after the couple, M & S International school.

    “I’m proud to name it after my parents… Mr Musa & Mrs Sarah! M & S international school…. Now officially open Alhamdulilah,” Musa said.

    Recall that Musa had undergone successful surgery on his left arm.

    The footballer took to his Instagram page to express his heartfelt gratitude to his creator for a successful surgery.

    He didn’t fail to also appreciate the competent doctors assigned to him and the general public for their love, messages, prayers and words of encouragement.

    The footballer, who was eager to get back on the field, expressed his wishes to be back stronger and absolutely better.

    Musa became the first Nigerian to score more than once in a FIFA World Cup match, after scoring twice against Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

    He is also the first Nigerian to score in two FIFA World Cup competitions, after scoring twice against Iceland in the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

    The Super Eagles Captain was a member of the Al Nassr squad that won the Saudi Premier League and Saudi Super Cup, both in 2019.

    In 2008, Musa was loaned to JUTH F.C. where he played 18 games, scoring four goals in his first two professional seasons for the Healers.

    He was subsequently loaned to Kano Pillars F.C., in the 2009–10 season where he set the league record scoring multiple crucial goals as Pillars finished second.

    Musa held the record for the highest number of goals ever scored in one season in the history of the Nigeria Premier League until November 2011, when Jude Aneke of Kaduna United F.C. set a new record of 20 goals.

  • Int’l Friendly: Messi rates Argentina high after defeating Jamaica

    Int’l Friendly: Messi rates Argentina high after defeating Jamaica

    Paris Saint Germain and Argentina forward , Lionel Messi has reacted to his side’s friendly victory over Jamaica on Wednesday.

    Argentina defeated Jamaica 3-0 in the early hours of today in a friendly tie in the United States.

    A goal from Julian Alvarez and a brace from Messi gave Argentina the win over Jamaica at the Red Bull Arena.

    In his post match reaction on Instagram, Messi rates the Argentine national team very high, saying the hope is very high at this point in time.

    Argentina have played 35 games without losing a game, the longest in the nations history.

    Messi wrote: “We bid farewell to the United States with another triumph and with much hope.”

    Argentina’s next friendly tie is against the United Arab Emirates on November 16.

    Argentina is in Group C at the World Cup alongside Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia.

    The 2022  mundial  will kick start in Qatar  on November 20, it will be the first ever winter world Cup.

  • NFF President attends FIFA World Cup draw in Qatar despite Nigeria’s failure to qualify

    NFF President attends FIFA World Cup draw in Qatar despite Nigeria’s failure to qualify

    Despite Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Amaju Pinnick, has taken a trip to Qatar for the competition’s final draw taking place on Friday in Doha, Qatar.

     

    Pinnick is a member of the FIFA Executive Council and will witness the 2022 World Cup draw without the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who failed to qualify for the tournament.

     

    Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday after losing to Ghana by away goal rule.

     

    The World Cup draw will be attended by 2,000 guests and will be led by Carli Lloyd, Jermaine Jenas and Samantha Johnson and assisted by the likes of Cafu (Brazil), Lothar Matthaus (Germany), Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria),

    Rabah Madjer (Algeria) and Tim Cahill (Australia), Adel Ahmed MalAllah (Qatar), Ali Daei (IR Iran) and Bora Milutinovic (Serbia/Mexico).

     

    Meanwhile, 32 countries will be involved in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

     

    Twenty-nine countries are currently known and will be drawn into eight groups of four.

     

    Two of the remaining three spots will be filled by the winners of the Intercontinental Play-offs on 13 or 14 June.

     

    The final berth is determined by Path A of the European qualifying play-offs, in which Wales will face off against either Scotland or Ukraine in the final.

     

     

  • Sixth of 8 FIFA World Cup stadiums opened in Qatar

    Sixth of 8 FIFA World Cup stadiums opened in Qatar

    The sixth of eight stadiums for next year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar has been opened, the emirate’s government wrote on Twitter on Friday.

    The Al-Thumama Stadium can accommodate more than 40,000 spectators.

    The arena will host six group matches, a round of 16 match and a quarter-final.

    In its first match, Qatari teams Al-Sadd and Al-Rajjan met in the final of the Emir Cup.

    The arena is located 12 kilometres south of the capital Doha and has the shape of a traditional woven Qatari cap.

    After the World Cup, the capacity of the stadium is to be reduced by half.

    The 2022 World Cup will be held for the first time in November and December.

    The groups are to be drawn in Doha on April 1, the day after the FIFA Congress.

    Qatar has repeatedly come under international criticism for alleged human rights violations with regards to migrant workers building the stadiums.

    Qatar rejects the accusations and points to a series of reform measures.

  • Spain, Portugal confirm 2030 FIFA World Cup bid

    Spain, Portugal confirm 2030 FIFA World Cup bid

    Spain and Portugal have signed an agreement to push ahead with their joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Wednesday.

    The countries’ federations ratified an agreement “to promote the joint candidacy for the organisation of the World Cup in 2030, establishing strategies for the international projection of both federations and countries”, the RFEF said in a statement.

    The federations, which signed the agreement before a friendly between their national teams in Lisbon, had began analysing the possibility of a joint bid last year.

    “Few things can generate more hope and anticipation that the opportunity to organise a World Cup (present) and we can’t think of a better companion than Portugal,” said RFEF president Luis Rubiales.

    Spain hosted the 1982 World Cup and launched a failed bid along with Portugal to stage the 2018 tournament which was awarded to Russia.

    Portugal has never staged the World Cup but did hold the 2004 European Championship.

    Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay have announced they will make a four-way bid which could have sentimental value as Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930.

    The UK’s four associations are contemplating a joint bid along with Ireland while Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Romania are also planning a joint bid.

    The bidding process formally starts in 2022 with FIFA to choose the hosts in 2024.

  • FIFA World Cup Round of 16: Super Falcons know fate today

    Nigeria’s Super Falcons will know today whether they would progress for the first time, in 20 years to the Round of 16 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place in France.

    Nigeria finished third in Group A with three points and minus two goals, opening a chance to progress as one of the four best third placed teams, to join the 12 that qualified as the two-best in the six groups.

    Two of the spots have been taken already by China and Brazil. China finished third in Group B on the same four points, with second placed Spain. Brazil also finished third with six points in Group C, sharing same points with first placed Italy and runners-up Australia.

    Argentina in Group D opened the door of opportunities for Nigeria and four winless teams on Wednesday after they dramatically fought back to level 3-3 with Scotland.

    In the group, England and Japan were already through to the last 16 before meeting in Nice, where two goals by Ellen White secured a 2-0 victory and first place with a maximum nine points.

    Argentina fought back from three down to draw 3-3 in Paris to eliminate the Scots as they climbed to third. But they only have two points and are weakly placed in the battle to finish as one of the four best third-place teams.

    To advance, the Argentines need an unlikely pair of draws in Thursday’s final set of group games.

    Cameroon and New Zealand who play in Montpellier in Group E can qualify ahead of Nigeria if either win with a good goal margin.

    Victory by two goals — or just one in a high-scoring match — would make either Cameroon or New Zealand one of the four best third-placed teams.

    “We just need to make sure we win on Thursday and make sure we do everything possible and get to the next round,” Cameroon defender Estelle Johnson said.

    Both Cameroon and New Zealand are bottom of their group with zero points and minus three goals.

    In Group F, Chile and Thailand, who meet in Rennes, are both pointless. Unless the earlier game in Montpellier ends in a draw, in which case a win by any score will be enough, Chile will need to win by three goals and Thailand, who let in 13 against the USA, will need to win by 14.

    Scotland looked to be going through as one of the best third-placed sides when Erin Cuthbert’s 69th minute goal put them 3-0 up against Argentina at the Parc des Princes in Paris after earlier strikes from Kim Little and Jen Beattie.

    However, Milagros Menendez replied with Argentina’s first goal of the tournament in the 74th minute, and then Bonsegundo’s shot went in off goalkeeper Lee Alexander to set up a grandstand finale.

    With two minutes left, after an agonising VAR review, Argentina were awarded a penalty.

    Alexander saved Bonsegundo’s tame first attempt, but VAR caught the goalkeeper straying off her line and the Argentine converted her second effort in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

    The draw left Scotland on one point, bottom of Group D and eliminated.

    The current standings of 3rd-placed teams
    1. Brazil (6 points, +3 goal difference)
    2. China PR (4 points, 0 goal difference)
    3. Nigeria (3 points, -2 goal difference)
    4. Argentina (2 points, -1 goal difference)
    5. Cameroon (0 point, -3 goal difference)
    6. Chile (0 point, -5 goal difference)