Kickoff times in Qatar for the World Cup 2022 are not exactly ideal for those watching in the United States.
The time difference between the US Eastern Time Zone and Doha is seven hours. Naturally, FIFA schedules games based on the host country, not the million watching around the world. Therefore, the kickoff times in Qatar make sense. Afternoon and evening games allow for cooler temperatures in the desert heat of Doha and the surrounding area.
In fact, in the Qatar time zone, games kickoff between noon and 9 p.m., with most days having four games per day.
So, what time will kickoffs be in Qatar if you are an American viewer? Well, fortunately, FIFA follows a stringent pattern on kickoff times. It is consistent throughout the tournament, albeit early on in the day for those in the western hemisphere.
What time will kickoffs be in Qatar?
In the United States, kickoff times are generally in the morning, regardless of where you live. The following times are all Eastern Time.
Starting with the group stage, there are four games per day. In matchdays one and two, kickoff times are 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 in the afternoon. Depending on who is playing, FIFA puts some teams later in the day, and some earlier. For example, all three of the USMNT’s group stage games are at 2 p.m., while two of Australia’s games are in the early window.
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The exception to this is on matchday three in the group stage. Kickoffs overlap in each group, so two games kickoff at 10 a.m., and two games start in the afternoon at 2.
In the knockout stages, there are only two games per day. Each day of the knockout stage, except for the semifinals and onward, has games at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The semis, third-place game and Final are the only games on their days. Semis are at 2 p.m., while the third-place game and the World Cup Final are at 10 a.m. ET.
All of the games in the United States are available on either FOX or FS1. Spanish-language coverage is on Telemundo, Universo or Peacock Premium.
