FIFA will move the start date of the 2022 World Cup a day earlier to allow host nation Qatar to play in the first match Africanews360.com understands.
The tournament was earlier scheduled to kick off on Monday 21 November, with Senegal facing Netherlands at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha. But competition hosts have always played in the first game of the last four tournaments since 2006.
Therefore, they will now play against Ecuador to open the 2022 World Cup on Sunday 20 November, with kick off at 7pm GMT. The decision will still have to be ratified by the Bureau of the FIFA Council.