The first match of the highly controversial 2022 World Cup takes place at the Al Bayt Stadium today as hosts Qatar lock horns with Ecuador in Group A.
Felix Sanchez Bas’s men are competing on the biggest international stage for the first time in their history, while the South American nation makes their return to the World Cup finals after an eight-year absence.
Barely a week on from Sepp Blatter admitting that Qatar should not have been awarded the World Cup in the first place, the 2022 hosts hold the distinct honour of kicking off the latest installment of the tournament, as domestic leagues take a break in order for the globe’s finest to congregate in the Middle East.
Controversy has reared its ugly head ever since Qatar were awarded the hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup back in 2010, but on the field, Sanchez Bas and his crop of soon-to-be history-makers have simply tried to give themselves the best possible chance of making it out of Group A.
Facing Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal and 2010 World Cup finalists Netherlands is truly a baptism of fire for the world’s 50th-ranked nation, but they have taken part in four warm-up friendlies since October and have won all four of them.
Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and most recently Albania have fallen to Qatar’s superiority in recent weeks, with star striker Almoez Ali netting the only goal against the latter, and the Maroon are now aiming to become the first World Cup debutants to win their opening match since Senegal beat then-defending champions France in 2002.