Football
England crush Iran to raise hope again: "It might just come home".
“It’s coming home”, the theme slogan resonates euphoria for England fans and invites ridicule from other fans. The chant was making the rounds resolutely when Gareth Southgate’s team made a brave run to the semis in the World Cup 2018 defying all expectations. It has been a case of going close to home but not actually there. England has failed to jump over the final hurdles in their last two appearances in major tournaments.
The last one in the Euros 2020 final where they lost to Italy on penalties was a rather bitter pill to swallow for the English. Most of these players have now been there with Southgate’s set up for a while now, and the new ones are promising young talents raring to go make their mark on the world stage.
Iran in their opening game was a much more important test for their world cup credentials than many would give credit for. For starters, Iran is the 20th placed team in world rankings but even if we ignore that, England previously have been notorious for losing such games on the world’s biggest stage. One doesn’t have to go back much further than 2010 when England drew their opening game to the USA, who in comparison to their opponents can be labeled footballing minnows. The result was so shocking that much of the world media had misquoted the score in England’s favor the following morning. Dismantling an Iran team which must have been determined to make a statement performance by a 6-2 margin in their opening game shows the maturity of the England team.
Gareth Southgate’s biggest achievement as the team boss would be instilling a sense of national unity which even two world cups ago was divided by club loyalty. Iconic players such as Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard have gone on record to say how their club rivalries played a part in hostility within the dressing room. Now in 2022, such dressing room politics seem a tale of yesteryears. From Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka to Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, they are one team.
Read more: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: England make strong statement with a thumping win over Iran
England’s new “golden generation” will however face challenges such as their approach of making this attack-heavy team retreat back into a defensive back-five whenever it comes up against top opponents. Their approach in their upcoming game against USA, which provides a potential route for revenge for 2014, and an always fierce battle against Wales will provide a clearer picture of how far England has come as a team. But the signs in the opening game were promising for this team and their avid supporters. For now the chants of “It’s coming home” seem more hopeful than delusional.
Read more: England Squad analysis for 2022 World Cup
FIFA World Cup 2022: Netherlands overpower Senegal with last-minute goals
The Netherlands started their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign with a clean sheet and three points, beating African side Senegal 2-0 thanks to two late goals at Al Thumama Stadium on Monday.
After this match, the Netherlands and Ecuador have three points each from a win in one match in Group A.
The Netherlands scored the match's first goal in the 84th minute when Frenkie de Jong pushed a cross out for Cody Gakpo to head the ball into the net. The Senegal goalkeeper came forward to punch the ball, but he failed.
Read More: What is ‘One Love’ armband and why is FIFA against it in World Cup 2022?
Senegal seemed to be in a rush after conceding the first goal. But they could not find a way to level the match. They instead suffered another blow in the 98th minute when Edouard Mendy, the Senegal goalkeeper, parried a weak shot from Memphis Depay, but Davy Klaassen was on hand to turn in the rebound. It was poor goalkeeping from the Chelsea man.
Earlier, the first half of the match ended scoreless, and though both teams created a few chances, they were unsuccessful in their attempts.
Read More: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: England make strong statement with a thumping win over Iran
In the first five minutes of the match, the Netherlands went close with Gakpo but were blocked by Senegal. The Netherlands showed some of their intricate build-up play right from the beginning.In the absence of Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr took the spotlight for Senegal. He looked sharp, and in the first 10 minutes of the match, he went ahead with a quick turn and fired a shot that flew over the bar.
Ahead of this World Cup clash, the Netherlands and Senegal registered a string of good performances.
Read More: Messi begins legacy-defining World Cup with match against Saudi Arabia Tuesday
Earlier this year, the Teranga Lions won their maiden Africa Cup of Nations. At the same time, the Netherlands topped the Nations League group with two wins against Belgium.
The Netherlands showed their perseverance after finding the net twice late in the match against Senegal. The Dutch side should be considered one of the top favourites to win the FIFA World Cup 2022 trophy.
England vs Iran FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
Know here all the details related to the live streaming of FIFA World Cup 2022 Group B match between England and Iran.
The biggest sporting event of the year FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 began on Sunday (November 20) England and Iran kick off day two of Qatar 2022 when they open up their World Cup campaigns at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. The World Cup 2022 Group B game between England and Iran starts on Monday 21 November 2022.
Appearing at a third straight finals for the first time in their history, Iran are once again led by head coach Carlos Queiroz, who was also in charge in 2014 and 2018. The Asians, who have never previously progressed from a World Cup group stage, will be facing England for the first time. Having reached the semi-finals at World Cup 2018 and been runners-up at Euro 2020, England’s aim is to go one better again.
Read more: England Squad analysis for 2022 World Cup
England vs Iran Live Streaming of FIFA World Cup 2022 Match live streaming : Here you can get all the details as to When, Where, and How you can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 between England and Iran Live Streaming
England take on Iran in the opening match of group B, with England dubbed big favourites over the Asian powerhouse.
Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Iran vs England live
How to watch England vs Iran live stream in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: T Sports, PTE LTD and Viacom 18, and.
Bangladesh viewers can live stream online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink.
Besides, many Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live the match.
Read More: Cristiano Ronaldo gambles on World Cup to restore reputation
How to watch England vs Iran live stream in India
In India, the World Cup is being televised on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Qatar vs Ecuador from 9.30pm IST on Sunday night.
Coverage is available in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil, and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast, so you can get a big-screen experience.
Anyone outside of India who wants to watch their home World Cup coverage can just pick up a good VPN and follow the instructions above to safely live stream the action.
Read More: Can Messi and Ronaldo face each other in Qatar World Cup final?
How to watch England vs Iran live stream in Australia
Football fans in Australia can watch Qatar vs Ecuador, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on TV or live stream Qatar vs Ecuador using SBS On Demand.
Just be warned that Qatar vs Ecuador kicks off at 3am AEDT in the early hours of Monday morning, with coverage beginning at 2am.
SBS on Demand is free to use and works on a range of smart devices including mobile phones, smart TVs and web browsers.
Read more: Which European teams have the best chances of winning 2022 World Cup?
How to watch England vs Iran: live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cable
Soccer fans in the US can watch Qatar vs Ecuador on FS1 and Peacock TV, with kick-off set for 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning.
FS1 shares TV rights to the 2022 World Cup group stage with Fox, but Fox will be showing every game of the knockouts.
England vs Iran live stream without cable
If you don't have cable TV, a cord-cutting service is what you need for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest option. It's $40 per month but you can get your first month half-price with this discount.
FuboTV is another good option. It carries both Fox and FS1, and over 100 channels besides, and allows you to watch the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR. It's more expensive at $69.99 a month, but first there's a FREE FuboTV trial.
Read More: Portugal Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Every game of the World Cup is also being shown on Peacock TV, but the catch is that commentary will be in Spanish. To make up for that, Qatar vs Ecuador and a few other games are being shown for FREE. The Peacock price comes in at $4.99 a month and the service also offers live coverage of the NFL, EPL and WWE.
If you subscribe to Sling, Peacock or any other US streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN – we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.
How to watch England vs Iran live stream in UK
Football fans in the UK can watch a England vs Iran live stream for free on BBC iPlayer, along with many more World Cup 2022 games, as coverage of the tournament is split evenly between the BBC and ITV.
Read more: Message of inclusion imbues Qatar World Cup opening ceremony
England vs Iran kicks-off at 4pm GMT on Sunday afternoon, with coverage beginning at 3pm.
Every BBC game will be on BBC TV channels in HD and also live streamed on BBC iPlayer in glorious 4K HDR. Just make sure you possess a valid TV license and that your device is 4K-compatible with iPlayer.
Away from home in the UK right now? No worries:
Use ExpressVPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad.
BBC iPlayer is free to use and works across a wide range of devices including smart TVs, laptops, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and streaming sticks. You can watch all the other World Cup 2022 live streams for free on ITV Hub.
Read More: Why Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal is priceless -- and unforgettable
How to watch England vs Iran live stream in Canada
TSN is the place to watch every 2022 World Cup soccer game in Canada. If you get the channel as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access to a Qatar vs Ecuador live stream.
Kick-off is at 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning, with coverage beginning at 9am ET / 6am PT.
If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
If you decide to subscribe, or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions
How to watch live England vs Iran Match live from Iran and other countries?
If you're abroad during World Cup 2022, and want to tune into your usual home coverage, you'll most likely find yourself geo-blocked and will need to use a VPN to unlock your access.
A VPN is a piece of software that allows you to change your apparent location and World 2022 live streams from any country and streaming service you need. They're easy to use and super-secure. We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for streaming.
Read More: France Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
What time and date will the FIFA World Cup 2022 England vs Iran match be played?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 match England vs Iran match will be played on Sunday - 21 November at 7:00 PM IST.
England vs Iran Playing IX
England projected starting 11 vs Iran
(3-4-2-1, right to left): 1. Pickford (GK) – 5. Stones, 15. Dier, 7. Maguire – 3. Shaw, 4. Rice, 22. Bellingham, 12. Trippier – 10. Sterling, 20. Foden – 9. Kane
Iran projected starting 11 vs England
(4-1-3-2, right to left): 1. Beiranvand (GK) – 2. Moharrami, 13. Kanaani, 19. Hosseini, 3. Hajsafi – 6. Ezatolahi – 17. Gholizadeh, 21. Nourollahi, 7. Jahanbakhsh – 9. Taremi, 10. Ansarifard.
Read More: Germany Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Message of inclusion imbues Qatar World Cup opening ceremony
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman extended one yellow-gloved hand to a FIFA World Cup ambassador suffering from a rare spinal disorder in an image meant to represent inclusion in a country facing international criticism over its human rights record.
It wasn’t the biggest moment of Sunday’s seven-act World Cup opening ceremony ahead of the match between host country Qatar and Ecuador. The largest cheers were reserved for the Mideast and African leaders watching from their luxury suites in Bedouin-tent-inspired Al Bayt Stadium.
In fact, it was Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani who drew thunderous applause in a short speech delivered in Arabic from the suite.
“We have worked hard, along with many people, to make it one of the most successful tournaments,” he said. “We have exerted all efforts and invested for the good of all humanity.”
He was seated between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who secured the World Cup for the tiny gulf nation 12 years ago.
“How beautiful it is for people to put aside what divides them in order to celebrate their diversity and what brings them together at the same time,” Sheikh Tamim said, his words translated into English on a video screen inside the stadium.
“I wish all the participating teams a magnificent football performance, high sportsmanship, and a time full of joy, excitement and delight for you all,” he continued. “And let there be days that are inspiring with goodness and hope.”
He then said, “I welcome you and good luck to all,” in his only words spoken in English.
Sheikh Hamad, viewed as the modernizer of Qatar during his 18 years as ruler, further delighted the crowd by autographing an official World Cup shirt handed to him by his son. He then held the shirt up to the crowd.
Qatar, home to 3 million people, most of them migrant workers, has spent more than $200 billion on preparation for the World Cup. Seven new stadiums were built, including the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium north of Doha.
The opening ceremony was meant to introduce Qatar to the world through its culture with a theme of “bridging distances.” Creative director Ahmad Al Baker wanted the ceremony to signify “a gathering for all mankind, an invitation to come together as one, bridging all differences with humanity, respect and inclusion.”
Read more: Qatar World Cup: No alcohol sales permitted at stadiums
“Finally, we have reached the opening day, the day you have been eagerly waiting for,” Sheikh Tamim said. “We will follow, and with us the whole world, God willing, the great football festival, in this spacious ambience for human and civilized communication.
“People of different races, nationalities, faiths and orientations will gather here in Qatar, and around screens on all continents to share the same exciting moments.”
His words hit the mark as Sheikh Tamim was joined in the stadium suite by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, two leaders who had boycotted Qatar for years. Not present were the leaders of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, the two other nations involved in the boycott.
There were no major Western leaders in attendance, as Qatar is under intense scrutiny for its treatment of the migrant workers who prepared the nation for the World Cup, as well as the LGBTQ community. Gay and lesbian sex is criminalized in Qatar.
But among those who did attend the opening match were U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Kuwait’s crown prince came, along with the director-general of the World Health Organization and Djibouti’s president. Also present was Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
They listened to BTS' Jung Kook, while Qatari singer and producer Fahad Al Kubaisi debuted the single “Dreamers,” produced specifically for the World Cup.
Then came remarks from Infantino, who spoke in Arabic, Spanish and finally English to officially open the tournament.
“Dear friends, welcome, welcome, to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” Infantino said in English. “Welcome to celebrate football because football unites the world. And now let’s welcome the teams and let the show begin.”
As “The Business” by Tiesto blasted over the speakers, Qatar and Ecuador took to the field and the World Cup officially began.
Read more: Enner Valencia stars as Ecuador beat Qatar in World Cup 2022 opener
Qatar ready to open Mideast’s first FIFA World Cup before leaders, fans
Qatar prepared Sunday to open the Middle East’s first FIFA World Cup before global leaders and soccer fans now pouring into this energy-rich nation after being battered by a regional boycott and international criticism.
Regardless of the outcome of Qatar versus Ecuador on the pitch, Doha already has drawn Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the opening ceremony and inaugural match of the tournament.
That Prince Mohammed, whose nation had closed Qatar’s only land border to the world through the kingdom over a yearslong political dispute, will attend shows how far the rapprochement between the two nations has gone.
Read: FIFA earn record $7.5b in revenues for current World Cup period
Newspaper columns during the crisis had even suggested digging a trench along the 87-kilometer (54-mile) border and filling it with nuclear waste at the height of the conflict. While rhetorical bluster, it showed how deeply the anger ran in the region amid the dispute — which Kuwait’s then-ruler suggested nearly sparked a war.
Its root came from Qatar’s stance in supporting the Islamists who rose to power in Egypt and elsewhere following the 2011 Arab Spring. While Qatar viewed their arrival as a sea change in the gerontocracies gripping the Mideast, other Gulf Arab nations saw the protests as a threat to their autocratic and hereditary rule.
Qatar also faced criticism from the West as groups they funded initially in Syria’s civil war became extremists. Qatar later would deny that it ever funded Islamic extremists, despite criticism from across the American political spectrum from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump.
US enter World Cup against Wales after 8-year wait
Gio Reyna, Joe Scally and Yusuf Musah were 11 years old the last time the United States took the field in a World Cup match. On the 3,066th day after that loss in Brazil, the Americans return to soccer’s showcase with a new-look team dreaming lofty goals and hoping for actual ones.
Filled with novelty, nerves and naivety, these young American team take the field against Wales on Monday night in a match a growing fanbase back home has been pining for since 2014.
“Three years, four years of just working up to this moment, I think all the guys are ready to go,” midfielder Weston McKennie said.
A Friday match against England follows and group play ends Nov. 29 against Iran, which famously eliminated the U.S. from the 1998 World Cup in France.
Only DeAndre Yedlin, a 29-year-old defender, remains from the American team eliminated by Belgium in the second round eight years ago. Yedlin, Christian Pulisic, Kellyn Acosta and Tim Ream are among just four holdovers from the group that flopped to the field in anguish after the crushing loss at Trinidad in CONCACAF qualifying in October 2017 that ended the streak of U.S. World Cup appearances at seven.
McKennie debuted a month later in a 1-1 friendly draw at Portugal along with Tyler Adams and Cameron Carter-Vickers. A total of 118 players were tried over 68 matches in a World Cup cycle interrupted by a pandemic, including 91 after Gregg Berhalter was hired as coach in December 2018. He gave debuts to 56 players and took the second-youngest roster to the tournament at an average age of just over 25 years, older than only Ghana.
Some are already looking ahead to 2026, when the U.S. co-hosts the tournament and the core group figures to be in its prime.
Read: Messi or Ronaldo: Who has better chance at leading team to FIFA World Cup win?
“We want to build a ton of momentum going into 2026, but it all starts now,” Berhalter said.
Berhalter becomes the first American to play and coach at a World Cup — his 50th minute shot from Claudio Reyna’s corner kick struck German defender Torsten Frings’ arm on the goal line but was not called a hand ball in 2002′s 1-0 quarterfinal loss.
“I was in my mom’s belly,” quipped Gio Reyna, Claudio’s son, who was born that November.
Berhalter has installed a high-pressing style and led the Americans to a 36-10-10 record that included titles in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League.
“The final determination of this group,” he said, “will be at the World Cup. That’s how generations are measured. We can all be talking — that’s great, we beat Mexico three times. Or we won the Gold Cup or the Nations League. But the real measuring stick for this group is certainly going to be how you perform in Qatar.”
Wales is back in the World Cup for the first time since 1958, led by 33-year-old Gareth Bale and 31-year-old Aaron Ramsey. The Dragons advanced to the 2016 European Championship semifinals before losing to eventual champion Portugal and made it to the second round of last year’s Euros before a 4-0 wipeout against Denmark. The lack of World Cup experience has the Welsh as guarded as the Americans heading into the match at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, a renovated 44,000-seat venue west of the capital.
“They’re intense, they’re athletic, they move the ball quick and they’re really attacking,” Wales defender Ben Cabango said of the U.S. “So we’ve got to make sure we’re in a good shape and just get in a good defensive position. And then, obviously, on a counter we can hit any team with the quality we have.”
With Miles Robinson and Chris Richards injured, the American central defense will start a pair from among Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long, Carter-Vickers or 35-year-old Tim Ream, back on the national team for the first time in 14 months.
Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Things you need to know
“Tim’s the grandpa of the group,” Adams said.
Forward, a position that produced just three goals in qualifying, also is uncertain for the U.S. Josh Sargent, Jesús Ferreira and Haji Wright are the choices.
Following Berhalter’s surprising decision to drop Zack Steffen, Matt Turner likely will start in goal over Ethan Horvath and Sean Johnson. Turner has been limited to four Europa League matches in his first season with Arsenal, the last Oct. 20.
“I showed the coaching staff here how much I’ve grown as a person and a player,” Turner said.
Pulisic also has struggled for playing time, getting just five starts for Chelsea this season. Right back Sergiño Dest made only two starts for AC Milan.
As the opener approached, Pulisic recalled gathering for World Cup games in the basement of his home in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and watching Landon Donovan score the injury-time goal that beat Algeria in 2010 to earn advancement.
“The family coming together, wearing all our red, white and blue, just getting excited,” Pulisic said. “It was always a dream of mine. I wanted to be there so bad. But now to be here as a part of this team actually at the World Cup, it’s special. And, yeah, I don’t want to take a moment of this for granted.”
FIFA earns record $7.5b in revenues for current World Cup period
FIFA earned record revenues of $7.5 billion in the four years of commercial deals tied to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the governing body of soccer said Sunday.
FIFA revealed its earnings to officials from more than 200 of its members. It is $1 billion more than income from the previous commercial cycle linked to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The extra income was buoyed by commercial deals with the World Cup host country. Qatar Energy joined as a top-tier sponsor, and new third-tier sponsors include Qatari bank QNB and telecoms firm Ooredoo.
READ: FIFA World Cup 2022: Things you need to know
FIFA also added second-tier sponsor deals this year from financial platform crypto.com and a blockchain provider — its first new American sponsor in more than a decade.
Key broadcast deals for this year’s World Cup were signed during Sepp Blatter’s presidency in two-tournament deals that included the Russia and Qatar tournaments. They included deals with Fox in the United States and Qatari broadcaster BeIN Sports from 2011.
FIFA’s revenues will rise to about $2.5 billion despite the COVID-19 pandemic. FIFA was prepared to use that cash to help members through uncertainty in 2020 when national team soccer and World Cup qualifying games were almost entirely shut down.
Revenues are likely to approach $10 billion for the next four years thanks to a new financial strategy for women’s soccer and the expanded 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
READ: Amid all its controversies, can football win the day in Qatar?
Separate sponsor deals for women’s soccer are being signed for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The 2026 men’s tournament will have 48 teams instead of 32.
FIFA has an almost blank slate for the 2026 edition with top-tier sponsors Coca-Cola, Adidas and Wanda the only deals currently extended.
US' Tyler Adams, 23, youngest captain at FIFA World Cup
Tyler Adams will captain the United States team at the World Cup, at 23 the youngest of this year’s tournament and the youngest for the Americans at the soccer showcase since Walter Bahr in 1950.
The last of the 32 captains announced for this year’s World Cup, Adams is only the second under 30 years old. England forward Harry Kane is 29 and has captained the Three Lions since the 2018 World Cup, when he was 24.
United States coach Gregg Berhalter made the annoucement Sunday, the day before the Americans play Wales in their first World Cup match since 2014.
“He leads by his actions and his words,” Berhalter said.
Adams, from Wappinger, New York, has captained the national team nine times previously, including seven wins, one loss and one draw.
Berhalter had rotated the armband since he was hired in December 2018. Christian Pulisic has captained the Americans 11 times, including seven victories, one defeat and three ties, and Walker Zimmerman has captained the United States six times.
Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Things you need to know
Adams was captain in seven of 14 World Cup qualifiers, Pulisic four and Zimmerman three.
Different players captained the United States national team for each game in 1950. Bahr was 23 years, 3 months, 2 days for the 5-2 loss to Chile on July 2, 1950. Adams will be 23 years, 9 months, 8 days on Monday.
Ed McIlvenny (25) wore the armband for the famous 1-0 upset of England in Belo Horizonte and Harry Keough (22) for the opening loss to Spain.
Previous World Cup captains included 24-year-old Mike Windischmann in 1990, 25-year-old Tony Meola in 1994, 37-year-old Thomas Dooley in 1998, 28-year-old Claudio Reyna in 2002 and Reyna again in 2006, 31-year-old Carlos Bocanegra in 2010 and 31-year-old Clint Dempsey in 2014.
Earnie Stewart, then 33, captained the United States in the 2002 opener against Portugal because of Reyna’s strained right quadriceps.
Read: Messi or Ronaldo: Who has better chance at leading team to FIFA World Cup win?
“We’re not a group of guys that it’s like, oh, I want to be captain,” Weston McKennie said Saturday. “Whoever has it, has it. The mission is still the same. The goal is still the same, and we just need all 26 players no matter their role to be on the same page and have the same role at the end of the day, which is to compete and win games.”
France's Benzema ruled out of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Not every big soccer star will be playing at the World Cup.
Some will be missing from the tournament in Qatar because of injuries or because their countries didn’t qualify, including Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema of France and runner-up Sadio Mané of Senegal. Those two — voted the world’s top two players this year — were ruled out of the World Cup with injury days before kickoff.
Other star names will also be watching from afar.
KARIM BENZEMA (France)
There’s now no chance of Benzema adding a World Cup title to his Ballon d’Or award this year after he tore a left thigh muscle training with the French squad in Qatar days before the defending champion’s opening game. The World Cup was meant to continue a remarkable comeback for Benzema, who did not play in France’s victorious 2018 World Cup campaign because he was still exiled from the team for his role in a sex-tape scandal. That led to a dramatic fall for Benzema but he had won back fans with a stellar season with Real Madrid and was back at his best for France. His injury came in his first full training session with the French World Cup squad, which is now missing five players.
SADIO MANE (Senegal)
Senegal’s all-time leading scorer also saw his World Cup disappear when he injured his right leg in a club game for Bayern Munich two weeks ago. Senegal held out hopes that its talisman might recover and play some part later in the tournament and included him in its squad. But those hopes were quashed when Bayern announced this week that Mané has had surgery to reattach a tendon to his right fibula and is definitely out of the World Cup. Africa’s best player will now watch his team while in rehab.
ERLING HAALAND (Norway)
Read: France Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
The 22-year-old Haaland has had a phenomenal start in his first season at Manchester City with 17 goals in his first 11 Premier League appearances, but Norway failed to beat the Netherlands in the team’s final qualifying game in Group G. Haaland, who had scored in the 1-1 draw when they met in Oslo, missed the decisive game because of an injury. The Dutch qualified as group winners with a 2-0 victory, while Norway was left in third place. Haaland has 21 goals in 23 games for Norway but he has to wait until at least 2026 for his country to reach its first World Cup since 1998.
MOHAMED SALAH (Egypt)
Salah, who won the Golden Boot as the Premier League’s top scorer alongside Son Heung-min last season, missed a penalty against Senegal in the shootout that eliminated Egypt from the World Cup playoffs. Salah blasted his attempt over the crossbar and former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mané kicked the winner for his team’s 3-1 victory. It was a repeat of Senegal’s win on penalties in the African Cup of Nations final the month before. This season, Salah has scored four goals in his first 12 matches as Liverpool has struggled for wins.
PAUL POGBA (France)
France has also lost Paul Pogba, who was ruled out of the tournament because of ongoing right knee problems. The 29-year-old Pogba played a vital part in France’s World Cup success four years ago, but has yet to play a game this season since his last official match in April. After returning to Juventus from Manchester United in the offseason, Pogba tore his meniscus during the Italian club’s preseason tour of the United States in July. He initially decided against having an operation, but then had surgery on his right knee in early September. Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said Monday that he “needs more rehabilitation after his operation.” Pogba has also been mired in an extortion scandal involving his older brother and childhood friends.
N’GOLO KANTE (France)
Kante hasn’t played for his club or his country since August, and Chelsea confirmed last month that the midfielder will miss the tournament while recovering from surgery on a hamstring injury. Widely regarded as one of the world’s best midfielders, Kante played a key role alongside Pogba in France’s run to the 2018 title. Another France midfielder, Boubacar Kamara, was already ruled out because of injury.
DAVID ALABA (Austria)
Read: Germany Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Austria didn’t qualify for the World Cup after losing to Wales in the playoffs. Gareth Bale scored two goals in the 2-1 victory that ended his Real Madrid teammate’s hopes of appearing at soccer’s biggest tournament for the first time. The 30-year-old Alaba, who joined Madrid from Bayern Munich in 2021, captained Austria at last year’s European Championship, where the team lost to eventual champion Italy in the round of 16.
LUIS DÍAZ (Colombia)
Díaz’s World Cup hopes were over even before he injured his knee while playing for Liverpool because Colombia finished sixth in South American qualifying. The 25-year-old Díaz, who instantly became a Liverpool favorite after his transfer from Porto in January, still hasn’t played at a World Cup. He has scored eight goals in 37 appearances for Colombia. James Rodríguez and “El Tigre” Radamel Falcao will also miss the tournament.
GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA (Italy)
Arguably the best goalkeeper in the world won’t be at the World Cup after Italy surprisingly failed to qualify for the tournament — again. Donnarumma was the player of the tournament when he helped Italy win Euro 2020, but he was unable to stop Aleksandar Trajkovski’s injury-time winner for North Macedonia in the World Cup playoffs in March. Italy also failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Donnarumma, considered the heir to the great Gianluigi Buffon, will get his chance again. Despite already making 49 appearances for Italy, he’s only 23 years old.
DIOGO JOTA (Portugal)
Jota said “one of my dreams collapsed” when it was confirmed he will miss the World Cup with a calf injury sustained in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Manchester City on Oct. 16. He had already missed the first month of the season because of injury. Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp said Jota faced “months” to recover. Portugal teammate Pedro Neto is also out after sustaining an ankle injury while playing with Wolverhampton.
Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Things you need to know
Qatar vs Ecuador FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
Checkout the livestreaming details of Qatar vs Ecuador FIFA World Cup 2022 match below
The biggest sporting event of the year is set to begin on Sunday (November 20) as hosts Qatar will play their first match of the FIFA World Cup 2022 against Ecuador at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.
Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar vs Ecuador live in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: BTV, T Sports, PTE LTD and Viacom 18.
Bangladesh viewers can also enjoy live stream online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink.
Besides, many Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live the match.
Read more: Why Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal is priceless -- and unforgettable
How to watch Qatar vs Ecuador live stream in India
In India, the World Cup is being televised on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Qatar vs Ecuador from 9.30pm IST on Sunday night.
Coverage is available in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil, and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast, so you can get a big-screen experience.
Anyone outside of India who wants to watch their home World Cup coverage can just pick up a good VPN and follow the instructions above to safely live stream the action.
How to watch Qatar vs Ecuador live stream in Australia
Football fans in Australia can watch Qatar vs Ecuador, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on TV or live stream Qatar vs Ecuador using SBS On Demand.
Just be warned that Qatar vs Ecuador kicks off at 3am AEDT in the early hours of Monday morning, with coverage beginning at 2am.
SBS on Demand is free to use and works on a range of smart devices including mobile phones, smart TVs and web browsers.
How to watch Qatar vs Ecuador: live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cable
Soccer fans in the US can watch Qatar vs Ecuador on FS1 and Peacock TV, with kick-off set for 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning.
FS1 shares TV rights to the 2022 World Cup group stage with Fox, but Fox will be showing every game of the knockouts.
Qatar vs Ecuador live stream without cable
If you don't have cable TV, a cord-cutting service is what you need for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest option. It's $40 per month but you can get your first month half-price with this discount.
FuboTV is another good option. It carries both Fox and FS1, and over 100 channels besides, and allows you to watch the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR. It's more expensive at $69.99 a month, but first there's a FREE FuboTV trial.
Read more: Karim Benzema's hopes of World Cup glory ended by injury
Every game of the World Cup is also being shown on Peacock TV, but the catch is that commentary will be in Spanish. To make up for that, Qatar vs Ecuador and a few other games are being shown for FREE. The Peacock price comes in at $4.99 a month and the service also offers live coverage of the NFL, EPL and WWE.
If you subscribe to Sling, Peacock or any other US streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN – we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.
How to watch Qatar vs Ecuador live stream in UK
Football fans in the UK can watch a Qatar vs Ecuador live stream for free on BBC iPlayer, along with many more World Cup 2022 games, as coverage of the tournament is split evenly between the BBC and ITV.
Qatar vs Ecuador kicks-off at 4pm GMT on Sunday afternoon, with coverage beginning at 3pm.
Every BBC game will be on BBC TV channels in HD and also live streamed on BBC iPlayer in glorious 4K HDR. Just make sure you possess a valid TV license and that your device is 4K-compatible with iPlayer.
Away from home in the UK right now? No worries:
Use ExpressVPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad.
BBC iPlayer is free to use and works across a wide range of devices including smart TVs, laptops, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and streaming sticks. You can watch all the other World Cup 2022 live streams for free on ITV Hub.
Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo gambles on World Cup to restore reputation
How to watch Qatar vs Ecuador live stream in Canada
TSN is the place to watch every 2022 World Cup soccer game in Canada. If you get the channel as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access to a Qatar vs Ecuador live stream.
Kick-off is at 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning, with coverage beginning at 9am ET / 6am PT.
If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
If you decide to subscribe, or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions
What time and date will the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar vs Ecuador match be played?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 match Qatar vs Ecuador match will be played on Sunday - 20 November at 9:30 PM IST.
Read More: Portugal Squad Analysis for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Qatar squad & team news
Qatar's attack will be led by Almoez Ali and Akram Afif. Skipper Hassan Al Haydos should slot in just behind the two strikers as a typical No.10.
Felix Sanchez Bas is likely to field a five-man backline and it will be led by veteran campaigner Abdelkarim Hassan.
They have only one injury concern in Ahmed Alaaeldin, who was replaced against Albania last week with an unspecified injury.
Qatar predicted XI: Al-Sheeb; Ro-Ro, Al-Rawi, Salman, Hassan, Ahmed; Hatem, Boudiaf; Al-Haydos; Ali, Afif.
Read More: Who Will Perform in Qatar World Cup Opening Ceremony?
Ecuador squad and team news
Enner Valencia and Romario Ibarra are likely to be paired up front for Ecuador. Pervis Estupinan and Moises Caicedo should also start following their impressive form in the Premier League.
Ecuador have no injury concerns heading into the fixture.
Ecuador predicted XI: Dominguez; Preciado, Porozo, Hincapie, Estupinan; Franco, Gruezo, Caicedo; Plata, Valencia, Ibarra.