There is no shortage of news on the national team, from the luxury hotel where they will be staying to the toughest opponents they will face in the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 21st to December 18th. Thirty-two countries are scheduled to participate, which will certainly mobilize the small Gulf country. Throughout the tournament, England will play at three different stadiums: Ahmed bin Ali Stadium (Al-Rayyan), Khalifa International Stadium (Al-Rayyan), and Al Bayt Stadium (Jor) in front of an international audience of football enthusiasts.
As expected, the 2022 Football World Cup, comes with renewed squads, with many players making their debut with their national teams and revealing the great potential that the new squads have.
Luxury hotel in Qatar
The teams will arrive at the training hotels at least five days before their first match.
Another distinctive feature of this year’s competition is that 24 of the 32 teams will be staying within a 10 km radius, so the electrifying atmosphere of the competition will be concentrated in and around the capital, Doha.
Being just a 20-minute drive away from the capital Doha, the Souq Al-Wakra Hotel offers luxury suites with 2ft thick walls to guarantee a good night’s sleep. Players are expected to be entertained by playing table tennis, pool, and PlayStation.
Despite being a five-star establishment, the Souq Al-Wakra Hotel does not, in the opinion of experts, meet the standards to which English professionals are accustomed as there’s no swimming pool, alcohol, or private beach.
The beach that the players can access from the hotel is a public one. And to train, Southgate and his men will have to walk 2 kilometers through a busy market.
Tough rivals
There’s little doubt that Gareth Southgate’s squad is one of the strongest ones in this year’s competition. In fact, the Three Lions are among the top three favorites to win the World Cup, being just behind five-time winners Brazil and the current title holders, France.
Under Southgate’s direction, the team has performed exceptionally during major tournaments, reaching the semi-finals in Russia 2018 and the finals at Euro 2020.
Placed in Group B, England have been handed a favourable draw. They will face Iran on November 21st, the United States on November 25th, and Wales on November 29th. Should they finish first or second in the Group stage, the Southgate team will face though rivals in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and – if the odds are truly in their favour – the long-awaited final. Rivals to watch out for include the aforementioned Brazilians and French as well as the Germans, Spaniards and Argentinians.
To conclude
After the pandemic, the 2022 World Cup is the greatest event to bring back thrill and excitement to an international football audience.
While Brazil and France are among the favorites to win the world champion’s crown, England comes closely behind. Should the Three Lions emerge victorious, this would end the 56-year wait for football to come home.