When is the 2022 FIFA World Cup final? Date, kick off time as Argentina await France in Qatar

Kyle Bonn

When is the 2022 FIFA World Cup final? Date, kick off time as Argentina await France in Qatar image

The FIFA World Cup final is a truly global event and will be one of the most-watched sporting events across the world when Argentina and France face off for glory in Qatar.

The timing this year will be unusual, as the final will be staged during the run-up to the December holiday season. In fact, it also falls on a national holiday in Qatar, which will add to the spotlight on the competition.

This tournament was moved to November and December, which is winter locally in Qatar, to avoid the scorching summer heat and its effects on players' wellbeing.

Here's what you need to know about the timing of the final.

MORE: Follow the World Cup 2022 final live | Argentina vs France best bets | Starting Lineups

When is the 2022 World Cup final?

The 2022 World Cup final will be staged on Sunday, December 18. It is tradition that the World Cup final be held on a Sunday locally.

All but two World Cup finals, including the last 13 editions, have been held on a Sunday. The only two that were not held on a Sunday were the first World Cup final in 1930, which was played on a Wednesday, and the 1966 World Cup final, which was held on a Saturday.

The date is also the National Day of Qatar, or Al-Yawm al-Watani li-Qaṭar, also known as 'Founder's Day,' celebrated annually on the same date.

The holiday, commenced in 2007, was established to commemorate the rise to power of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani on December 18, 1878. He is credited with driving outside forces such as the Ottomans, the British, and other Arabian peninsula tribes from the land while unifying the Qatari tribes.

While the holiday isn't quite equivalent to an Independence Day — Qatar would not gain its independence from the British Empire until 1971 — it does serve to celebrate the nation's freedom from outside rule.

What time is World Cup final?

The 2022 World Cup final on December 18 will kick off in Doha, Qatar at 6:00 p.m. local Arabia Standard Time (AST).

City Kickoff Time Relational
Doha, Qatar 6 p.m. AST UTC +3
Perth, Australia 11 p.m. AWST UTC +8
Sydney, Australia 2 a.m. AEDT* UTC +11
Toronto, Canada 10 a.m. ET UTC -5
Vancouver, Canada 7 a.m. PT UTC -8
London, England 3 p.m. GMT UTC +0
Hong Kong 11 p.m. HKT UTC +8
New Delhi, India 8:30 p.m. IST UTC +5:30
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 11 p.m. MYT UTC +8
Auckland, New Zealand 4 a.m. NZDT* UTC +13
Singapore 11 p.m. SGT UTC +8
Los Angeles, USA 7 a.m. PT UTC -8
New York, USA 10 a.m. ET UTC -5

* Match occurs on Monday, December 19 at this location

Where is World Cup final 2022?

Lusail Iconic Stadium outside Doha, Qatar
Getty Images

The World Cup final will be held at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. The stadium's location is approximately 23 km, or 14.3 miles, north of Doha.

Construction of the stadium, which was built specifically for the 2022 World Cup, began in 2017 and was completed in April of 2021.

Lusail Stadium has a capacity of 80,000 people, but will be reduced to 40,000 following the World Cup, with the additional space converted to shops, cafes, athletic facilities, and other amenities. The goal for this is to create a stadium that will be usable beyond the 2022 World Cup, addressing an issue that arose with the now-derelict stadiums from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Lusail Stadium is unique in that it boasts carbon-neutral footprint, according to the Qatari World Cup organizers. This is thanks to energy-efficient features such as solar panels to provide power and environmentally friendly cooling technologies, the architecture firm Fosters + Partners claims.

However, these claims have been questioned, with some academics stating that dodgy calculations were done to successfully predict a carbon-neutral footprint, according to a report by Reuters this past May.

List of past World Cup final cities and stadiums

Hosting the World Cup final is a prestigious honor bestowed on the most famous arenas across the globe.

The first World Cup final was held in 1930 at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay. The stadium was built specifically for the 1930 World Cup and is still in use today, hosting national team matches.

Only two stadiums have ever hosted multiple World Cup finals: Estadio Azteca in Mexico in 1970 and 1986, and the Maracana Stadium in Brazil in 1950 and 2014.

The highest attendance ever for a World Cup final was 173,850 at the 1950 event. This will likely never be bested for stadiums as we know them, as modern safety protocols and ticketing procedures will prevent such a number from ever seeing a football match in person.

Year Final Venue Final Location Attendance
1930 Estadio Centenario Monteviedo, Uruguay 68,346
1934 Stadio Nazionale Rome, Italy 55,000
1938 Stade Olympique Colombes, France 45,000
1950 Maracana Stadium Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 173,850
1954 Wankdorf Stadium Bern, Switzerland 62,500
1958 Rasunda Stadium Solna, Sweden 51,800
1962 Estadio Nacional Santiago, Chile 69,000
1966 Wembley Stadium London, England 96,924
1970 Estadio Azteca Mexico City, Mexico 107,412
1974 Olympiastadion Munich, West Germany 75,200
1978 Estadio Monumental Buenos Aires, Argentina 71,483
1982 Santiago Bernabeu Madrid, Spain 90,000
1986 Estadio Azteca Mexico City, Mexico 114,600
1990 Stadio Olimpico Rome, Italy 73,603
1994 Rose Bowl Pasadena, United States 94,194
1998 Stade de France Saint-Denis, France 75,000
2002 International Stadium Yokohama, Japan 69,029
2006 Olympiastadion Berlin, Germany 69,000
2010 Soccer City Johannesburg, South Africa 84,490
2014 Maracana Stadium Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 74,738
2018 Luzhniki Stadium Moscow, Russia 78,011
2022 Lusail Iconic Stadium Doha, Qatar  —
2026 TBD TBC  —

Who will win the World Cup 2022?

France are considered the bookmakers' choice for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, having survived a plethora of injuries to make an impressive title defence.

The prolific Kylian Mbappe and attacking schemer Antoine Griezmann have been among the stars of Les Bleus' campaign so far.

Argentina — captained by seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi — thrashed Croatia to underline their prowess.

Odds via BetMGM (USA), Sports Interaction (Canada), SkyBet (UK), and Ladbrokes (Australia). Accurate as of December 14, 2022.

  BetMGM Sports
Interaction
SkyBet Ladbrokes
Argentina win +175 2.70 9/5 19/10
Draw +200 2.95 21/10 2/1
France win +170 2.70 13/8 31/20
Both teams
to score Y / N
+100 / -140 1.92 / 1.70 1/1, 8/11 1/1, 3/4
Over / Under
2.5 goals
+135 / -190 2.32 / 1.54 6/4, 1/2 11/8, 8/15
France -0.5 +155 2.60
Argentina +0.5 -225 1.47
France win title -125 1.90 10/11 3/4
Argentina win title +100 1.95 4/5 20/21

Note: Odds above for 90 minutes of regulation except 'to advance'.

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.