World Cup Qatar: "Kickoff" on Sunday

The 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off on Sunday, marking its 22nd edition hosted by Qatar until December 18. The host country, Qatar, will start the tournament with a match against Ecuador at 18:00 Beirut time, in Group A, which also includes Senegal and the Netherlands. The opening match will be officiated by Italian referee Daniele Orsato, whose country has missed the tournament for the second consecutive edition. As teams continue to arrive in the Qatari capital Doha, some stars are being announced as absent due to injury, most notably Senegal's Sadio Mané, as well as Argentinians Nicolás González and Joaquín Correa, and Spaniard José Gaia. The teams from Argentina, Brazil, France, as well as Spain, Germany, and England are natural contenders for the title, while Belgium, the Netherlands, or Portugal could be considered the "dark horses" of the tournament.