FIFA announce schedule change with Qatar set to kick off 2022 World Cup

FIFA have today announced a change in its schedule for the 2022 World Cup, with hosts Qatar set to kick off proceedings against Ecuador.

Al Bayt Stadium will house both the opening ceremony and match of the 2022 World Cup

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The decision was a unanimous one made by the Bureau of the FIFA Council after Group A rivals Senegal and the Netherlands were previously scheduled to open the tournament.

Instead, the opening ceremony and subsequent Qatar clash have been brought forward to the early hours of November 21, with the Senegal-Netherlands matchup moved to 3am (AEDT) on November 22.

This change continues the World Cup tradition in which the host country contests the first match - in this case, taking place at Al Bayt Stadium.

According to a statement released by FIFA, the decision followed an "assessment of the competition and operational implications, as well as a thorough consultation process and an agreement with key stakeholders and the host country".

Fans, meanwhile, have already been assured their tickets will remain valid irrespective of the new dates and times.

Complete 2022 FIFA World Cup LIVE SBS schedule

Monday, November 21

Opening Ceremony + Group A - Qatar v Ecuador

2:00am - 5:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

2022 FIFA World Cup tournament preview

10:30pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group B - England v Iran

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Tuesday, November 22

Group A - Senegal v Netherlands

3:00am - 5:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group B - USA v Wales

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group C - Argentina v Saudi Arabia

8:30pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group D - Denmark v Tunisia

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Wednesday, November 23

Group C - Mexico v Poland

2:30am - 5am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group D - France v Australia

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group F - Morocco v Croatia

8:30pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group E - Germany v Japan

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Thursday, November 24

Group E - Spain v Costa Rica

2:30am - 5:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group F - Belgium v Canada

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group G - Switzerland v Cameroon

8:30pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group H - Uruguay v Korea Republic

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Friday, November 25

Group H - Portugal v Ghana

2:30am - 5:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group G - Brazil v Serbia

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group B - Wales v Iran

8:30pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group A - Qatar v Senegal

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Saturday, November 26

Group A - Netherlands v Ecuador

2:30am - 5am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group B - England v USA

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group D - Tunisia v Australia

8pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group C - Poland v Saudi Arabia

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, November 27

Group D - France v Denmark

2:30am - 5am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group C - Argentina v Mexico

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group E - Japan v Costa Rica

8:30pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group F - Belgium v Morocco

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Monday, November 28

Group F - Croatia v Canada

2:30am - 5am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group E - Spain v Germany

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group G - Cameroon v Serbia

8:30pm - 11:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group H - Korea Republic v Ghana

11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Tuesday, November 29

Group G - Brazil v Switzerland

2:30am - 5:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group H - Portugal v Uruguay

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Wednesday, November 30

Group A - Netherlands v Qatar

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group A - Ecuador v Senegal

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

Group B - Wales v England

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group B - Iran v USA

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Thursday, December 1

Group D - Australia v Denmark

1am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group D - Tunisia v France

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

Group C - Poland v Argentina

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group C - Saudi Arabia v Mexico

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Friday, December 2

Group F - Croatia v Belgium

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group F - Canada v Morocco

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

Group E - Japan v Spain

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group E - Costa Rica v Germany

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Saturday, December 3

Group H - Korea Republic v Portugal

1am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group H - Ghana v Uruguay

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

Group G - Cameroon v Brazil

5am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Group G - Serbia v Switzerland

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, December 4

Round of 16 - 1A v 2B

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Round of 16 - 1C v 2D

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Monday, December 5

Round of 16 - 1D v 2C

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Round of 16 - 1B v 2A

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Tuesday, December 6

Round of 16 - 1E v 2F

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Round of 16 - 1G v 2H

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Wednesday, December 7

Round of 16 - 1F v 2E

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Round of 16 - 1H v 2G

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Thursday, December 8

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Friday, December 9

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Saturday, December 10 

Quarter-Final - 1E/2F v 1G/2H

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Quarter-Final - 1A/2B v 1C/2D

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, December 11

Quarter-Final - 1F/2E v 1H/2G

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Quarter-Final - 1B/2A v 1D/2C

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Monday, December 12

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Tuesday, December 13

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Wednesday, December 14

Semi-Final - QF2 v QF1

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Thursday, December 15

Semi-Final - QF4 v QF3

5:30am - 8:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Friday, December 16

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Saturday, December 17

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Sunday, December 18

Third-Place Play-off - Semi-Final Losers

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Monday, December 19

Final - Semi-Final Winners

1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

World Cup Daily

5:30pm - 6:30pm (AEDT)

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Schedule / timings are TBC, check your local guides

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