The 22nd FIFA World Cup Finals were awarded to Qatar on 2 December 2010.

In October 2007, FIFA ended its continental rotation policy. The bidding farce to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups began in January 2009, and national associations had until 2 February 2009 to register their interest. During the process, all non-European nations gradually withdrew from the 2018 bid, thus making UEFA nations ineligible for the 2022 bid.
In the end, there were five bids for the 2022 World Cup: Australia, Japan, Qatar, Korea Republic and United States.

Australia were eliminated in the first round after receiving just one vote. Japan were then eliminated from the next round after receiving two votes, one less than they received in the first round. Korea Republic were then eliminated in Round Three, leaving the United States and Qatar to battle it out in the final, after failing to receive the majority twelve votes. Qatar then won by fourteen votes to eight.

Due to Qatar's intense summer heat, this tournament will be held from late-November to mid-December, making it the first to not be held in the summer, in a reduced timeframe of 28 days.

The Draw

The Build-Up

"[Kieran] Trippier has such belief in Southgate, Holland and the squad that he is not afraid to back England to win the World Cup. "We shouldn't be going into a tournament scared of saying we want to win it," he adds. "We should go there with that mindset to win the tournament and don't be afraid to say it. We want to go one step further to actually win a tournament. We all feel confident as a group, we've got a fantastic 26-man squad, unbelievable talent in there, a mixture of experience and youth." - The Times

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
England	3	2	1	0	9	2	+7	7	0
United States	3	1	2	0	2	1	+1	5	5
Iran	3	1	0	2	4	7	-3	3	6
Wales	3	0	1	2	1	6	-5	1	5	1

"BRAVE BELLINGHAM AND SAKA SPREAD JOY WITH EVERY SURGE
"...England were relentless...
"Iran...were simply outclassed.
"Southgate...got the starting XI right, the tactics right and the substitutions right.
"...a great collective performance spiced with fine individual displays." - The Times, 22 November 2022

"England took everything that has been said about them in the build-up to the World Cup and trashed it in the opening game.
"MAN OF THE MATCH: Jude Bellingham 9/10 - Absolutely delighted to score and it was no more than he deserved as one of the more influential players." - Daily Express, 22 November 2022

"...dizzyingly good. Confidence suddenly goes through the roof. But so does expectation." englandfootball.org

"Gareth Southgate, despite that bit of disappointment at the end, will be full of smiles, bursting with pride...a job not just well done, but brilliantly done." - Guy Mowbray, BBC commentator

"I'm a bit fed up with the end of it, really...We shouldn't be conceding two goals a game... I'm a miserable so-and-so, I should be more excited, but I've got to keep the team on the right track, and we will have to be better." - Gareth Southgate

25 November 2022
1.00pm - Wales 0 Iran 2 [0-0] Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan (40,875)	Cheshmi, Rezaeian
	Wayne Hennessey
10.00pm - England 0 United States 0 [0-0] Āstād āl-Bayt, Al Khawr (68,463)

"SOUTHGATE BACK TO DRAWING BOARD AFTER REALITY CHECK
"England fans showed their disappointment at a passionless, directionless display by booing loudly at the final whistle.
"The attack simply could not get going, which was mainly down to the resilience and shrewd positioning of the US defence.
"England did not deserve a goal. They were too sluggish." - The Times, 26 November 2022

"Maguire...regularly rescuing England with timely, powerful headers.
"After the exuberance of Monday, it was just galling to see such mediocrity.
"MAN OF THE MATCH: Harry Maguire 7/10 - Confidence still growing as he hits his 50th cap and one jinking run dazzled. His sound heading was vital." - Daily Express, 26 November 2022

"Gareth Southgate's side were second best for long periods as they failed to match the energy and intensity of the USA...
"England are still almost certain to qualify but this was a jarring reality check." - bbc.co.uk

"England were too often second to the ball, and when we did have possession, there was little creativity shown in the forward passing...
"Sterling, Saka, Bellingham and Mount just couldn't deal with the continual harrying of the talented American side." - Mike Payne, EnglandFootballOnline.com

"Certainly, this point is better for England than it is for the US, but the confident mood that built up in despatching Iran may well have been punctured after tonight...It is disappointing, but it's not defining..." - Sam Matterface, ITV commentator

"We lacked a little bit of 'zip' in the final third tonight and a little bit of quality on that final ball.
"We have to stay calm in these tournaments. We've been through this before but we're on track." - Gareth Southgate

"REJUVENATED RASHFORD HEALS EURO WOUNDS
"The quality in the England ranks was seen most spectacularly in that unforgettable six minutes after the break.
"Jude Bellingham was celebrating even before Foden had made contact.
"Rashford...departed to huge cheers from England fans for a superb 75 minutes." - The Times, 30 November 2022

"...Phil Foden finally began to make his presence felt on the worldwide stage.
"...ultimately it was Rashford who proved unplayable.
"...a new-look England who can stride with confidence at last into the knockout stages.
"MAN OF THE MATCH: Marcus Rashford 9/10 - England's outstanding player. Always looking to do something different and was simply too good for Wales." - Daily Express, 30 November 2022

"England totally dominated proceedings, although not without a turgid opening half." - Mike Payne, EnglandFootballOnline.com

"Rashford was always supposed to light up a World Cup. That World Cup has arrived." - englandfootball.org

"England's win, made in Manchester..." - Guy Mowbray, BBC commentator

"I thought we kept our discipline and quality right the way 'til the end." - Gareth Southgate