FIFA World Cup 2022: Your Complete TV Guide

It’s been four long years, but the FIFA World Cup — the biggest single sporting event on the planet (3.57 billion people watched in 2018) — is ready to hit the pitch again as 32 nations battle it out. For U.S. players, the wait has been even longer, after they didn’t qualify for the last tourney in Russia. “[Now the team has a] responsibility to make us believe again,” says Hall of Famer and Fox Sports’ lead studio analyst Alexi Lalas.

The excitement kicks off in Qatar on November 20. The U.S. faces Wales first on November 21 in the group stage; the Black Friday match against England promises to be immense. Leading the U.S. charge is “Captain America”— gifted forward Christian Pulisic. “He has the ideal temperament for that pressure of the world spotlight,” says Fox Sports exec producer David Neal. Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah and Brenden Aaronson are also among the names to watch.

While Fox analyst Maurice Edu cites Argentina (led by GOAT Lionel Messi), Brazil and defending champs France as favorites, he believes in the U.S.’s chances to at least make it to the Round of 16. “This is a team that, when we’ve doubted them [in recent international play], they’ve performed well,” Edu says. “I wouldn’t bet against them.”

Cristiano Ronaldo (Credit: James Gill/Getty Images)

Soccer’s Starry Fans

Fox Sports had to spring into action when word came that the World Cup, normally a summer mega-event, would be airing during the holidays. “We’re taking advantage of the fact that fall is a more high-rated time, with a lot of eyeballs,” says executive producer David Neal. “And we wanted to make sure people knew Santa Claus was preparing for the World Cup as well.” Thus, the network’s ever-present “’Tis the FIFA World Cup” series of commercials, with Jon Hamm as a decidedly more fit Father Christmas. The ads rate a Super Bowl Sunday–level of quality, including their roster of guest stars: cameos of Tom Brady snarkily suggesting Portugal’s legendary Cristiano Ronaldo might be “getting kind of old,” Mariah Carey called upon to give us a song. Meanwhile, Santa wonders if the U.S. can’t win it all. That would indeed be a miracle.

FIFA World Cup Schedule

Sunday, November 20

11am/10c Qatar vs. Ecuador FS1

Monday, November 21

8am/7c England vs. IR Iran FS1

11am/10c Senegal vs. Netherlands Fox

2/1c USA vs. Wales Fox

Tuesday, November 22

5am/4c Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia FS1

8am/7c Denmark vs. Tunisia FS1

11am/10c Mexico vs. Poland Fox

2/1c France vs. Australia Fox

Wednesday, November 23

5am/4c Morocco vs. Croatia FS1

8am/7c Germany vs. Japan FS1

11am/10c Spain vs. Costa Rica Fox

2/1c Belgium vs. Canada Fox

Thursday, November 24

5am/4c Switzerland vs. Cameroon FS1

8am/7c Uruguay vs. Korea Republic FS1

11am/10c Portugal vs. Ghana Fox

2/1c Brazil vs. Serbia Fox

Yunus Musah (Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Friday, November 25

5am/4c Wales vs. IR Iran FS1

8am/7c Qatar vs. Senegal FS1

11am/10c Netherlands vs. Ecuador Fox

2/1c England vs. USA Fox

Saturday, November 26

5am/4c Tunisia vs. Australia FS1

8am/7c Poland vs. Saudi
Arabia FS1

11am/10c France vs. Denmark Fox

2/1c Argentina vs. Mexico Fox

Sunday, November 27

5am/4c Japan vs. Costa Rica FS1

8am/7c Belgium vs. Morocco FS1

11am/10c Croatia vs. Canada Fox

2/1c Spain vs. Germany Fox

Monday, November 28

5am/4c Cameroon vs. Serbia FS1

8am/7c Korea Republic vs. Ghana FS1

11am/10c Brazil vs. Switzerland Fox

2/1c Portugal vs. Uruguay Fox

Tuesday, November 29

10am/9c Netherlands vs. Qatar Fox*

10am/9c Ecuador vs. Senegal FS1*

2/1c IR Iran vs. USA Fox

2/1c Wales vs. England FS1

Christian Pulisic (Credit: Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Wednesday, November 30

10am/9c Tunisia vs. France Fox*

10am/9c Australia vs. Denmark FS1*

2/1c Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico FS1*

2/1c Poland vs. Argentina Fox*

Thursday, December 1

10am/9c Canada vs. Morocco FS1*

10am/9c Croatia vs. Belgium Fox*

2/1c Costa Rica vs. Germany FS1*

2/1c Japan vs. Spain Fox*

Friday, December 2

10am/9c Korea Republic vs. Portugal Fox*

10am/9c Ghana vs. Uruguay FS1*

2/1c Cameroon vs. Brazil Fox*

2/1c Serbia vs. Switzerland FS1*

Round of 16

Saturday, December 3

10am/9c Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up Fox

2/1c Group C winner vs. Group D runner-up Fox

Sunday, December 4

10am/9c Group D winner vs. Group C runner-up Fox

2/1c Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up Fox

Monday, December 5

10am/9c Group E winner vs. Group F runner-up Fox

2/1c Group G winner vs. Group H runner-up Fox

Tuesday, December 6

10am/9c Group F winner vs. Group E runner-up Fox

2/1c Group H winner vs.Group G runner-up Fox

Quarterfinals

Friday, December 9

10am/9c Winners of December 5 matches Fox

2/1c Winners of December 3 matches Fox

Saturday, December 10

10am/9c Winners of December 6 matches Fox

2/1c Winners of December 4 matches Fox

Semifinals

Tuesday, December 13

2/1c Winners of December 9 matches Fox

Wednesday, December 14

2/1c Winners of December 10 matches Fox

Third-Place Match

Saturday, December 17

10am/9c December 13 runner-up vs. December 14 runner-up Fox

Final

Sunday, December 18

10am/9c December 13 winner vs. December 14 winner Fox

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