- Title: Qatar World Cup to begin one day earlier than planned - sources
- Date: 10th August 2022
- Summary: DOHA, QATAR (FILE - APRIL 1, 2022) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO AND HASSAN AL-THAWADI, CEO OF SUPREME COMMITTEE FOR LEGACY AND DELIVERY AT QATAR 2022 INFANTINO HEADING TOWARDS STAGE AL-THAWADI HEADING TOWARDS THE STAGE INFANTINO AND AL THAWADI ON STAGE SITTING DOWN INFANTINO DURING THE OPENING SPEECH ZURICH,
- Embargoed: 24th August 2022 12:02
- Keywords: Qatar Qatar 2022 World Cup change date opening match soccer
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: Qatar
- Topics: Middle East,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001770810082022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY IN OPENING SHOTS
The World Cup in Qatar will kick off a day earlier than scheduled if FIFA's ruling bureau agrees to a plan to hold the opening ceremony and the host nation's first match on Sunday, Nov. 20th, a source close to the discussions told Reuters.
The original plan was for the opening ceremony to be held before Qatar's game on Nov. 21 against Ecuador -- which created the unusual situation of two matches being held before the ceremony.
Normally the ceremony is conducted before the kick-off of the first game of the tournament.
The Group A match between Senegal v Netherlands and the Group B match between England and Iran were scheduled to take place before the ceremony on Monday.
The plan has to be voted on by the heads of FIFA's six regional confederations and president Gianni Infantino but, despite the late notice, is expected to win support.
The switch to a Nov. 20 opening ceremony and the game would allow the Senegal-Netherlands match, scheduled for 1300 local time on Nov. 21, to kick off later in the day. The Group B matches on that day, which also include the United States v Wales, would be unaffected.
Another source close to the proposal said the switch could be confirmed as early as Thursday and that the plan was to ensure that fans did not have to pay for any changes to flights or accommodation.
"The financial impact to fans has been assessed and that any additional costs to fans will be absorbed by organisers, but it is unclear who will bear these costs, whether it is FIFA, Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, or another entity," said the source.
"There will be an assurance from organisers that any additional costs for fans to change travel bookings or accommodation won't be borne by them and this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis," the source added.
It was not clear what the mechanism will be to manage any compensation for fans.
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