World Cup 2022 LIVE: England train for first time in Qatar as Nkunku out of France squad
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World champions France have suffered a blow with the news Christopher Nkunku will miss the World Cup through injury after limping out of training.
Didier Deschamps’ side have already been stung by injuries, including N’Golo Kante, Paul Pogba and Presnel Kimpembe, and the Leipzig star is the latest talent to pull out of the showpiece event.
England meanwhile have touched down in Qatar, with Gareth Southgate getting his first look at his squad in training on Wednesday with injury concern over James Maddison, who was substituted for Leicester at the weekend. Each team has now finalised their squads for Qatar 2022 after Ghana, Mexico, Tunisia and Ecuador’s announcements on Monday.
Other injuries to follow closely include Sadio Mane, with Senegal desperate for the Bayern Munich star to be cleared. Follow all the latest news and squad announcements from the 32 teams below
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World Cup latest news
France star Christopher Nkunku ruled out of World Cup after picking up leg injury in training
England greeted by exciting fans after touching down in Qatar
Callum Wilson ‘over the moon’ about England recall for World Cup
Mason Mount and Peter Crouch on World Cups past and present
England train at Doha hotel ahead of World Cup
More from England’s first training session
13:50 , Michael Jones
Gareth Southgate was all smiles as he led England’s first training session in Qatar.
The manager will have a few decisions to make ahead of the first match versus Iran, one of which will be whether he starts Harry Maguire in defence alongside John Stones.
Phillips trains for England
13:42 , Michael Jones
England’s Kalvin Phillips has spent most of the season out through injury but recovered in time to make it into Gareth Southgate’s squad.
The team kicked off their first training session in Qatar this afternoon with all 26-players involved to various degrees.
There were still some injury doubts over players like Kyle Walker, James Maddison and Callum Wilson - as well as Phillips - but it’s a good sign that all the players took part in training.
Gareth Bale provides World Cup boost for Wales insisting he’s ready to play back-to-back matches
13:35 , Michael Jones
Gareth Bale has handed Wales a massive World Cup 2022 boost by declaring himself 100 per cent fit for the tournament in Qatar.
Skipper Bale’s fitness has been a source of major concern ahead of Wales’ first appearance at the finals for 64 years.
The 33-year-old has played just half an hour of football since completing his first 90 minutes for over a year in Wales’ Nations League defeat to Poland in September.
Bale revealed he had been troubled by a “slight issue” and “was not 100 per cent” after coming off the bench to score a crucial late goal in Los Angeles FC’s MLS Cup final triumph over Philadelphia Union on November 5.
But he said ahead of Wales’ departure to Qatar on Tuesday: “I’m 100 per cent fit and ready to go.”
Bale provides boost for Wales insisting he’s ready to play back-to-back matches
World Cup injuries: Which players are out of Qatar 2022 and who is racing to be fit?
13:27 , Michael Jones
The staging of a Fifa World Cup partway through the domestic seasons of many major leagues was always likely to be a problematic one for many reasons - not the least of which is the propensity for players missing out due to injuries.
While a handful suffering tournament absences is nothing new, the issue is exacerbated this time around because club matches will be continuing right up until a week before Qatar 2022 gets underway, with more matches crammed in and less recovery time for players beforehand too.
Unfortunately, a host of names are already confirmed as being out - while more are being added to the list of those racing against time to rediscover fitness with each passing round of fixtures.
That includes at least two players who could make Gareth Southgate’s England squad, with Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell the latest to be dealt a fitness blow.
Here’s a run-down of the players definitely out, and a regularly updated list of those who are facing an uphill battle to make it back in time.
World Cup injuries: Which players are out of Qatar 2022 and who is racing to be fit?
England get first Qatar training session underway
13:21 , Jack Rathborn
England have begun their World Cup preparations in Qatar ahead of their opening fixture with Iran on Monday.
Gareth Southgate’s squad got their session underway at the team hotel in the host nation and are due to face the media in a press conference later this afternoon.
Callum Wilson ‘over the moon’ about England recall for World Cup
13:13 , Michael Jones
Callum Wilson hailed the timing of his return to form with Newcastle United as he flew out with England for the World Cup following his first call-up in three years.
The 30-year-old earned something of a surprise recall for Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, beating the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ivan Toney and Tammy Abraham for a spot in the 26-man group.
Wilson has hit six goals in 11 Premier League starts for Newcastle this season, with Eddie Howe’s Magpies sitting third in the table heading into the break for the first winter World Cup.
Callum Wilson ‘over the moon’ about England recall for World Cup
Football legend Ali Daei rejects World Cup invitation amid protests in Iran
13:06 , Michael Jones
Iran football legend Ali Daei has said he has rejected an invitation to the World Cup in Qatar in order to stay in his home country, where anti-government protests are taking place.
The 2022 Fifa World Cup begins on Sunday (20 November), as hosts Qatar face Ecuador in the opening game of the first winter edition of the tournament. Daei, however, will not be present as his nation competes in Group B with England, Wales and USA, with the 53-year-old having elected to ‘express sympathy’ with his compatriots instead.
Protests broke out in Iran after Mahsa Amini died in custody on 16 September, after the 22-year-old was arrested by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly.Iran football legend Ali Daei has said he has rejected an invitation to the World Cup in Qatar in order to stay in his home country, where anti-government protests are taking place.
Football legend Ali Daei rejects World Cup invitation amid protests in Iran
Premier League to provide one in six players at the World Cup
12:58 , Michael Jones
The Premier League will provide more World Cup players than any other division, with 135 of the 831 players (16 per cent) at the tournament plying their trade in the English top flight.
Spain’s LaLiga is contributing 83 players, ahead of Germany’s Bundesliga on 78 and Italy’s Serie A on 67.
All but one of Gareth Southgate’s squad are based in England, with Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund the only exception.
Brazil and Portugal are also in double figures for Premier League representation (12 and 10 players respectively), while Australia, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia are the only nations without a single player from the English top flight.
Premier League to provide one in six players at the World Cup
World Cup stadiums: The eight venues hosting games in Qatar
12:51 , Michael Jones
The World Cup in Qatar is upon us and runs from November 20 to December 18.
Eight stadiums in the Gulf state will host 64 matches at the World Cup and the unique nature of the tournament, which is largely being held in and around the capital city of Doha, allows fans to attend more than one game a day - with the venues no more than an hour’s drive from each other.
Here’s all the info you need about the eight host grounds:
World Cup stadiums: The eight venues hosting games in Qatar
Team USA applauded for ‘huge’ LGBT+ statement on Qatar World Cup logo design
12:43 , Michael Jones
People are celebrating the United States’ decision to incorporated rainbow colours into their badges while they are in Qatar in an overt message of support to the LGBTQ+ community ahead of the World Cup.
Same-sex relationships are outlawed in the country where the world’s biggest football tournament gets underway on Sunday.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has written to all represented nations urging them to “focus on the football”, a message a number, including USA’s Group B rivals England, are set to ignore.
The USA have added the change of colours - in place of the usual red stripes - to the logo that will be present throughout their training base although the version used on their shirt will remain the same.
Team USA applauded for ‘huge’ LGBT+ statement on Qatar World Cup logo design
Fantasy World Cup: 30 best players to pick for your team
12:36 , Michael Jones
Between now and Boxing Day, fans of the Premier League and Fantasy Premier League will have to bide their time and wait for domestic action’s return - but in their place, the sport’s biggest stage has its own equivalent offering.
The World Cup 2022 starts in Qatar on Sunday and the official World Cup Fantasy (WCF) game offers supporters the chance to combine some of the global stars from other leagues alongside favourites from this season’s FPL team, should they so wish.
There are some differences in rules, points scoring and boosts to be aware of, but the fundamentals apply: pick players you back to perform well inividually, and whose team you feel could go far.
Below we’ve identified 30 players who should be given serious consideration, depending on how you plan to set up your team and your own predictions for the group stage and beyond.
Fantasy World Cup: 30 best players to pick for your team
England greeted by excited fans on arrival at World Cup in Qatar
12:29 , Michael Jones
Gareth Southgate waved at excited fans as England arrived at their World Cup base to ramp up their quest for Qatar glory.
Having finished runners-up at last summer’s European Championship on the back of reaching the semi-finals in Russia four years ago, the Three Lions are among the favourites to triumph in the Middle East.
Southgate’s 26-man squad linked up at St George’s Park on Monday fresh from the Premier League pausing and followed a whirlwind day of duties by jetting off to Qatar on Tuesday.
England flew on a plane called ‘Rain Bow’ – noteworthy given the host country’s oppressive laws and treatment of LGBTQ+ people – and touched down in Doha at around 8pm local time.
England greeted by excited fans on arrival at World Cup in Qatar
England warned against underestimating Iran in World Cup opener
12:21 , Michael Jones
England cannot afford to underestimate Iran when they bid to get their World Cup campaign up and running in Qatar, according to former defender Paul Parker.
Gareth Southgate’s men open the Group B schedule at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan on November 21 and then play the United States before meeting Wales.
The build-up to a first winter World Cup has lacked the usual frenzy which precedes a summer showpiece tournament and England arrive in Qatar without a win in six matches following relegation from the top tier of the Nations League.
Nevertheless, there will be an expectation England should still have enough to see off the challenge of Iran, who are 20th in the Fifa rankings.
England warned against underestimating Iran in World Cup opener
Saman Ghoddos on Iran, the World Cup and ‘playing for the people’
12:13 , Michael Jones
Saman Ghoddos visibly considers his words, but he has clearly thought about what he is going to say. The Brentford forward does not want to stay silent on an issue of such importance. The stakes for Ghoddos, however, are much greater than just offering a statement on Qatar’s issues in the way most other World Cup players might.
The 29-year-old knows he is going to be asked about the political strife in Iran, where the state security forces have killed hundreds in shutting down nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, who was beaten in police custody after allegedly breaking rules on mandatory head coverings. He has agreed to an interview because of it, though, and shows considerable courage with his comments.
“Everybody wants to see a change,” Ghoddos says. “It’s a change that is very easy. What the people want is nothing special. It’s just freedom and I don’t want to say ‘Yeah, go fight for it’ because I don’t think violence is the right way. But something has to change and this has been going on for too long.”
Saman Ghoddos on Iran, the World Cup and ‘playing for the people’
France forward Christopher Nkunku out of World Cup after training injury
12:05 , Michael Jones
France have been dealt another injury blow after Christopher Nkunku was ruled out of the World Cup in Qatar.
The RB Leipzig forward limped out of training on Tuesday and tests have confirmed he will play no part in the tournament.
The World Cup holders were already without Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante due to injury while Raphael Varane is trying to recover from an issue in time to be fit to play.
Nkunku had enjoyed a fine first half of the campaign, scoring 12 goals to sit top of the scoring charts in Germany.
Didier Deschamps has called up Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani as a replacement and he will join up with the squad in Doha on Thursday.
Christopher Nkunku out of World Cup after training injury
World Cup tipped to be ‘game-changer’ for Welsh football and the nation
11:57 , Michael Jones
Football Association of Wales boss Noel Mooney has declared the World Cup a “game-changer” for Welsh football and the country itself.
Skipper Gareth Bale and company arrived in Qatar in the early hours of Wednesday morning for Wales’ first appearance at a World Cup since 1958.
Wales were the smallest nation to qualify for the 32-team tournament, with its 3.1million population marginally larger than that of Qatar who had automatic entry to the finals as hosts.
“Every day feels like a new step in the development of Welsh football,” FAW chief executive Mooney told the PA news agency.
World Cup tipped to be ‘game-changer’ for Welsh football and the nation
Sepp Blatter admits ‘Qatar was a mistake’ on eve of World Cup
11:50 , Michael Jones
Sepp Blatter, the former president of Fifa, has admitted the decision to award the World Cup to Qatar was a “mistake”.
Mr Blatter was Fifa president in 2010 when its executive committee controversially voted to award the hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.
Qatar has faced criticism over its treatment of migrant workers and discriminative LGBT+ laws, while the tournament also had to be moved to November and December due to heat.
Fifa’s decision to stage the World Cup in Qatar has also been the subject of scepticism after several members of the executive committee who voted in 2010 were later convicted or indicted in criminal or ethics cases.
Sepp Blatter admits ‘Qatar was a mistake’ on eve of World Cup
World Cup 2022 betting guide: Odds and tips for winner, golden boot and more
11:43 , Michael Jones
The World Cup is here with 32 teams arriving in Qatar eyeing up glory.
This feels like a wide-open tournament with the climate still a factor despite shifting the dates to the cooler winter temperatures in the region, with games set to be played in over 20 degrees.
The frantic build-up and alien schedule for international players looking to peak at the mid-way point of the season is also likely to become a wildcard.
Those sides with extra depth, not to mention an ability to harness up to five substitutions in regular time with a sixth change in extra-time, could thrive into the second week and beyond in Qatar.
Here we take a look at the odds and best bets to make on the winner, golden ball and golden boot:
World Cup betting guide: Odds, tips, form and more
Qatar 2022: A World Cup plagued by controversy from the start
11:36 , Michael Jones
It is safe to say no World Cup has generated as much debate and controversy before a ball is kicked as the finals in Qatar, which will at last get under way this month after a build-up of almost 12 years.
This was a tournament “awarded in an unacceptable way, with unacceptable consequences”, Norway’s Football Association president Lise Klaveness told Fifa’s Congress in Doha earlier this year.
“Human rights, equality, democracy, the core interests of football, were not in the starting XI,” she added.
There were immediate calls for a rerun of the vote, and even talk of boycotts, when Fifa’s executive committee awarded the tournament to Qatar in December 2010, ignoring warnings even from Fifa’s own bid evaluation report of the “potential health risk” of playing the tournament in searing desert heat in June and July.
Qatar 2022: A World Cup plagued by controversy from the start
Gareth Southgate accepts Qatar issues likely to remain World Cup talking point
11:30 , Michael Jones
England manager Gareth Southgate believes it is “highly unlikely” he will only be talking about football when the World Cup gets underway in Qatar.
Controversy has surrounded the Gulf state hosting the finals since they were awarded in 2010, with the country’s treatment of migrant workers and criminalisation of same-sex relationships among the issues which have caused the most concern.
Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, wrote to the association leaders of the 32 competing nations last week urging them not to “allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists”.
Gareth Southgate accepts Qatar issues likely to remain World Cup talking point
England fans’ LGBT group ‘disappointed’ by David Beckham’s Qatar ambassador role
11:22 , Michael Jones
An England LGBTQ+ fans’ representative has expressed disappointment that David Beckham is a paid ambassador for Qatar ahead of the World Cup, having considered him to be a “great ally” of the community.
Three Lions Pride group members have decided not to travel to the finals which start later this month, amid fears their presence could make the local LGBTQ+ community more vulnerable in a country where same-sex relationships are criminalised.
The group’s co-founder Di Cunningham believes players speaking out on LGBTQ+ rights have “shown up” tournament organisers FIFA, but reserved particular criticism for those, like former England captain Beckham, who have been paid to endorse Qatar.
England fans’ LGBT group ‘disappointed’ by David Beckham’s Qatar ambassador role
Qatar officials halt Danish presenter live on TV ahead of World Cup
11:15 , Michael Jones
The Qatar World Cup organisers have apologised after claiming to have “mistakenly interrupted” a Danish camera crew following viral footage of security staff confronting staff on a live broadcast.
A group confronted Danish network TV2 on Tuesday night while they were producing a piece to camera and ordered them to stop filming.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, who are the local organisers of the tournament, have now released a statement and conceded that the Danish crew did indeed have the correct permits to film and issued an apology.
“Tournament organisers are aware of an incident where a Danish broadcast crew were mistakenly interrupted during a live broadcast in one of Qatar’s tourist destinations,” the statement read.
Qatar officials halt Danish presenter live on TV ahead of World Cup
Virgil van Dijk not expecting to play former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane at World Cup
11:07 , Michael Jones
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk admits he feels for former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane in his battle to be fit for the World Cup.
The Dutch face Senegal in their opening group match on Monday but Van Dijk does not expect to see Mane, who left Anfield for Bayern Munich in the summer, lining up against him as the forward is doubtful with an injury to his right fibula.
Van Dijk knows all about missing major tournaments with injury as a torn anterior cruciate ligament ruled him out of the Covid-delayed Euro 2020.
He has spoken to Mane, who has nevertheless been included in Senegal’s squad despite his injury scare, and has a lot of sympathy with his situation.
Virgil van Dijk not expecting to play former teammate Sadio Mane at World Cup
‘It’s down to him’: Daniel James reveals emotional story behind Wales journey
11:00 , Michael Jones
Daniel James says he owes his World Cup place to his late father Kevan and will be thinking about him when Wales start their tournament on Monday.
James’ father Kevan died suddenly at the age of 60 in May 2019, just as the winger was on the verge of joining Manchester United from Swansea in a £15million transfer.
“It’s down to him that I’m playing here today,” said James, whose father came from Aberdare in the Cynon Valley. “Whenever I pull that Wales shirt on I always think of him.
“He took me to north Wales camp when I was 12 years old. He emailed the person there to say I was eligible to play for Wales.”
‘It’s down to him’: Daniel James reveals emotional story behind Wales journey
‘A new era of football’: Why the Qatar World Cup may see an erosion of national styles
10:53 , Michael Jones
Over the last few months, Gareth Southgate has been immersing himself in more information than any England manager has ever had going into a World Cup. The breadth is remarkable. Zooming out, there are all of the models and handbooks, that basically distill thousands of minutes of football to tell managers “how World Cups are won”. Zooming in, there are all the individual analyses of each team.
Some elements stand out across so much information. One is that virtually every side at this World Cup counter-presses.
“It’s become a common trend across all teams,” says Dr David Adams, the Welsh FA’s Chief Football Officer. “Even the lower-ranked teams don’t just drop into a defensive block when they lose the ball any more. That’s an idea, from Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, that has gone across all of the football ecosystem.”
‘A new era of football’: How the World Cup may see an erosion of national styles
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and the World Cup stars with one last shot at glory
10:45 , Michael Jones
First there was the Mexican goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. Then, after a long wait, Lothar Matthaus joined him in an exclusive club. A second Mexican, Rafael Marquez, became a third member. There is a case for saying Gianluigi Buffon had beaten him to that, though an unused squad member in 1998 only actually took the field in four World Cups.
But, after only three footballers played in five World Cups in the tournament’s first 90 years, there could be three in three days. One is Andres Guardado, a reminder never to underestimate Mexico’s capacity to take hardy perennials to multiple World Cups. And, with a certain inevitability, the other two, forever twinned in the imagination, invariably pitted against each other in this team sport’s most enduring individual rivalry, are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Each first played and first scored in the 2006 World Cup. And while it is not beyond the realms of possibility – each has made a career of being the exception to the norm – that they could be back in 2026, Messi has said that this will “surely” be his final World Cup. He has rescinded his international retirement in the past, whereas the probability is that Ronaldo will have to be dragged screaming from the stage, perhaps complaining to Piers Morgan that he has been betrayed. He has voiced an ambition to play at Euro 2024 but even he may deem the next World Cup, when he will be 41, a tournament too far.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and the World Cup stars with one last shot at glory
Morocco forward Amine Harit and Poland goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski out injured
10:38 , Michael Jones
Morocco’s Olympique de Marseille forward Amine Harit has sustained a knee injury, the Ligue 1 club said on Monday, just over a week before the country’s World Cup 2022 opener with Croatia.
“Harit, injured during the match against AS Monaco on Sunday, has suffered a sprain of the cruciate ligaments of the left knee,” Marseille said in a statement.
The club did not give a timeline for the 25-year-old’s recovery after he was carried off on a stretcher before the hour mark during Marseille’s 3-2 win at Monaco.
French media said he was likely to miss the World Cup.
Morocco’s Harit and Poland goalkeeper Dragowski out of World Cup after late injuries
Fifa president Gianni Infantino calls for World Cup ‘ceasefire’ in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
10:30 , Michael Jones
Gianni Infantino has called on Russia and Ukraine to use the World Cup as an opportunity for a “ceasefire” between the two countries.
The tournament begins in Qatar on Sunday and the Fifa president has urged all sides to use the tournament as a “positive trigger” to work towards a resolution.
Speaking during a lunch with leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies in Bali, Infantino said the month-long showpiece offers a unique platform for peace.
“My plea to all of you, to think on a temporary ceasefire for one month for the duration of the World Cup, or at least the implementation of some humanitarian corridors or anything that could lead to the resumption of dialogue as a first step to peace,” he said.
Gianni Infantino calls for World Cup ‘ceasefire’ in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Joe Lycett tells David Beckham he’ll shred £10,000 if he doesn’t pull out of World Cup deal with Qatar
10:23 , Michael Jones
Joe Lycett has told David Beckham he will give £10,000 to charities that support gay people in football if the sports star pulls out of his World Cup deal with Qatar, and the comedian will shred the money if he doesn’t.
Beckham has been heavily criticised for accepting a reported £10m to be an ambassador for Qatar, a country where homosexuality is illegal, given that he has previously been viewed as a great ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
In an Instagram video shared on Sunday, Lycett sat at a desk with £10,000 in cash in front of him, and said: “This is a message to David Beckham. I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monty Don, to be a gay icon.”
Joe Lycett to shred £10,000 if David Beckham doesn’t pull out of Qatar World Cup deal
The documentary England must watch ahead of the Qatar World Cup
10:16 , Michael Jones
A group of young footballers are sitting together in a canteen, talking about “girls” and the game in the way young footballers do, when the conversation turns to something deeper.
“Let me just ask you, what do you imagine freedom to be,” one goes to the table. “Let me have a go,” another responds. “I think freedom means maybe not being under slavery but having access to everything, your movement, free expression.”
“So many immigrants are coming to Qatar to work in search of greener pastures, but maybe a couple of them are not finding this greener pasture. They are staying in Qatar against their will, not directly like you’re being enslaved here. But, it’s like, you can’t go back, so you just stay and work for maybe the small salary.”
Another interjects: “Modern slavery.” “You can call it that.”
The documentary England must watch ahead of the Qatar World Cup
England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy will not watch World Cup due to Qatar’s laws on homosexuality
10:09 , Michael Jones
England and Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy has said she will not watch the men’s World Cup because of Qatar’s laws which make homosexuality punishable by death.
Wubben-Moy said she would support the England men’s team in the tournament, which begins in less than two weeks’ time, but will keep her television turned off amid the controversy surrounding Qatar’s staging of the showpiece event.
“It’s tough,” the 23-year-old said. “As an England team we all have strong values. And a lot of those values aren’t reflected in the way that we see it in Qatar. I think it’s a tough conversation to have and there’s a lot of dialogue around it.”
England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy will not watch World Cup due to Qatar’s LGBT+ laws
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris won’t wear rainbow armband at World Cup in Qatar
10:02 , Michael Jones
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will not wear a rainbow-coloured captain’s armband at the World Cup in Qatar, he has hinted.
The defending champions are one of 13 European nations to sign up to the ‘OneLove’ campaign against discrimination while in the host country where same-sex relationships are against the law.
Fifa rules prohibit teams from bringing their own armband designs to the World Cup and insist they must use equipment provided by the governing body, although many - including England - have hinted they will defy the regulations in Qatar.
Asked on Monday about the initiative during a news conference at France’s training ground, Lloris appeared skeptical.
Hugo Lloris won’t wear rainbow armband at World Cup in Qatar
England fly to World Cup in Qatar on plane called ‘Rain Bow’
09:55 , Michael Jones
England’s World Cup squad have left their St George’s Park HQ to set off for Qatar. The Three Lions jetted out to the controversial tournament from Birmingham on a plane called ‘Rain Bow’.
Among the criticism of the hosts is the country’s oppressive laws and treatment of LGBT+ people. The rainbow is the symbol of LGBT+ pride.
England skipper Harry Kane is one of several national captains who plan to participate in the ‘OneLove’ campaign during the tournament to oppose discrimination.
A Football Association spokesperson told the PA news agency: “We show our support for inclusion in many ways, including wearing the OneLove Armband during the tournament.”
England fly to Qatar World Cup on plane called ‘Rain Bow’
‘We did the robot all the time’: Mason Mount and Peter Crouch on World Cups past and present
09:47 , Michael Jones
Peter Crouch and Mason Mount are giddily talking about the World Cups that first got them into football when, with the way memory works, thoughts turn to a moment that was a bit more tense.
Crouch starts discussing the 82nd minute of his second appearance in the tournament, which was at that point a frustrating 0-0 draw against Trinidad and Tobago. He’d obviously been in poor performances against weaker teams before but the concentration of a World Cup made it something else altogether.
“You can feel it in the stadium,” Crouch says. “There’s obviously a tremendous pressure on you.”
Mount was a mere seven years old at the time, and can only really remember the colours of the competition in the way kids do, but empathises with the intensity of the situation as a fellow professional; “the blur”.
‘We did the robot all the time’: Mount and Crouch on World Cups past and present
Everything wrong with the Qatar World Cup
09:40 , Michael Jones
Out of the many facts and figures circulated about Qatar’s problems, there is one realisation that should stand above everything. It is a disgrace that, in 2022, a country can host a World Cup where it has lured millions of people from the poorest countries on earth - often under false pretences - and then forced them into what many call “modern slavery”.
And yet this has just been accepted. The World Cup carries on, an end product of a structure that is at once Orwellian and Kafkaesque. A huge underclass of people work in an autocratic surveillance state, amid an interconnected network of issues that make it almost impossible to escape. “It’s all so embedded,” says Michael Page of Human Rights Watch.
Many will point to similar problems in the west but this isn’t the failure of a system. It is the system, global inequality taken to an extreme. “The bottom line is that these human rights abuses are not normal for a World Cup host,” says Minky Worden, also of Human Rights Watch.
Everything wrong with the Qatar World Cup
World Cup 2022 squads: Latest news on all 831 players heading to Qatar
09:30 , Michael Jones
The World Cup 2022 in Qatar is upon us and all 32 teams are in the process of naming their squads, with each country allowed to select a 26-man group for the first time.
It means there will be 831 players heading to the first winter World Cup (with Iran electing to name just 25), with a deadline of Monday 14 November to submit the squads - just seven days before the tournament begins with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador.
Gareth Southgate will name his England group on Thursday afternoon, with debate currently ongoing over a number of the spots, while other countries’ announcements will filter through across the week.
The race to succeed France as world champions is about to heat up.
Here’s a full list of the players heading to Qatar and all the info you need about each team:
World Cup 2022 squads: Latest news on all 831 players heading to Qatar
England squad numbers for World Cup 2022: Jude Bellingham handed No.22 shirt
09:20 , Michael Jones
England have confirmed the squad numbers for the 26 players selected last week by Gareth Southgate for the World Cup.
The Three Lions head to Qatar with the entire group as fit as expected, after weekend fears over James Maddison were quickly extinguished.
Most of the selections are as expected and, while squad numbers don’t always offer much clue in who will start, the notable and obvious choices see Jordan Pickford remain as No1 and captain Harry Kane wearing his familiar No9 shirt. Kyle Walker, Declan Rice and Raheem Sterling are among the others to keep the same number they wore at Euro 2020.
England confirm World Cup squad numbers as Bellingham handed No.22
England warned against underestimating Iran in World Cup opener
09:10 , Michael Jones
England cannot afford to underestimate Iran when they bid to get their World Cup campaign up and running in Qatar, according to former defender Paul Parker.
Gareth Southgate’s men open the Group B schedule at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan on November 21 and then play the United States before meeting Wales.
The build-up to a first winter World Cup has lacked the usual frenzy which precedes a summer showpiece tournament and England arrive in Qatar without a win in six matches following relegation from the top tier of the Nations League.
Nevertheless, there will be an expectation England should still have enough to see off the challenge of Iran, who are 20th in the Fifa rankings.
England warned against underestimating Iran in World Cup opener
World Cup 2022 kits: Every shirt ranked and rated
09:00 , Jack Rathborn
The Qatar World Cup is nearly upon us, and that means an array of delightful/grotesque international football shirts for us to enjoy/convulse over.
What do we think of Portugal’s bold diagonal stripe? Who has picked a mesmerising shade of red? Why have Argentina dressed like they need 144 off 20 overs? Is that... is that Jafar? Please do share your opinions in the comments below.
Here are the World Cup 2022 kits, ranked and rated from worst to best:
World Cup 2022 kits: Every shirt ranked and rated
Randal Kolo Muani named as Christophere Nkunku’s replacement for France
08:50 , Jack Rathborn
After the injury blow to Christophere Nkunku, Didier Deschamps has moved quickly to call up the Leipzig forward’s replacement.
Randal Kolo Muani is in, with the Eintracht Frankfurt star scoring eight goals this season.
With Karim Benzema struggling to be ready for the group stages, France are lacking a cutting edge up top.
Virgil van Dijk not expecting to play former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane at World Cup
08:45 , Jack Rathborn
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk admits he feels for former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane in his battle to be fit for the World Cup.
The Dutch face Senegal in their opening group match on Monday but Van Dijk does not expect to see Mane, who left Anfield for Bayern Munich in the summer, lining up against him as the forward is doubtful with an injury to his right fibula.
Van Dijk knows all about missing major tournaments with injury as a torn anterior cruciate ligament ruled him out of the Covid-delayed Euro 2020.
Virgil van Dijk not expecting to play former teammate Sadio Mane at World Cup
Callum Wilson ‘over the moon’ about England recall for World Cup
08:30 , Jack Rathborn
Callum Wilson hailed the timing of his return to form with Newcastle United as he flew out with England for the World Cup following his first call-up in three years.
The 30-year-old earned something of a surprise recall for Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, beating the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ivan Toney and Tammy Abraham for a spot in the 26-man group.
Wilson has hit six goals in 11 Premier League starts for Newcastle this season, with Eddie Howe’s Magpies sitting third in the table heading into the break for the first winter World Cup.
Asked about his first England involvement since November 2019, he replied: “Life is all about timing. I have had three years away…now going into the World Cup there’s great opportunities there in front of us as players to go and make history. For us, that’s the drive and motivation.
Callum Wilson ‘over the moon’ about England recall for World Cup
Nick Pope: I never thought I was good enough to dream of World Cup
08:15 , Jack Rathborn
Nick Pope admits he did not dream of going to a World Cup as a child because he never believed he was good enough.
Now he is heading for the second of his career in the form of his life and hoping to play a part in ending England’s quest for another major honour.
The 30-year-old Newcastle United goalkeeper travelled to Russia four years ago as Gareth Southgate’s number three, but while Jordan Pickford seemingly remains the man in possession, Pope’s contribution to his club’s unlikely surge into the Premier League’s upper reaches has simply enhanced his reputation.
Nick Pope: I never thought I was good enough to dream of World Cup
‘A new era of football’: Why the Qatar World Cup may see an erosion of national styles
08:00 , Jack Rathborn
Over the last few months, Gareth Southgate has been immersing himself in more information than any England manager has ever had going into a World Cup. The breadth is remarkable. Zooming out, there are all of the models and handbooks, that basically distill thousands of minutes of football to tell managers “how World Cups are won”. Zooming in, there are all the individual analyses of each team.
Some elements stand out across so much information. One is that virtually every side at this World Cup counter-presses.
“It’s become a common trend across all teams,” says Dr David Adams, the Welsh FA’s Chief Football Officer. “Even the lower-ranked teams don’t just drop into a defensive block when they lose the ball any more. That’s an idea, from Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, that has gone across all of the football ecosystem.”
‘A new era of football’: How the World Cup may see an erosion of national styles
Saman Ghoddos on Iran, the World Cup and ‘playing for the people’
07:50 , Jack Rathborn
Saman Ghoddos visibly considers his words, but he has clearly thought about what he is going to say. The Brentford forward does not want to stay silent on an issue of such importance. The stakes for Ghoddos, however, are much greater than just offering a statement on Qatar’s issues in the way most other World Cup players might.
The 29-year-old knows he is going to be asked about the political strife in Iran, where the state security forces have killed hundreds in shutting down nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, who was beaten in police custody after allegedly breaking rules on mandatory head coverings. He has agreed to an interview because of it, though, and shows considerable courage with his comments.
“Everybody wants to see a change,” Ghoddos says. “It’s a change that is very easy. What the people want is nothing special. It’s just freedom and I don’t want to say ‘Yeah, go fight for it’ because I don’t think violence is the right way. But something has to change and this has been going on for too long.”
Saman Ghoddos on Iran, the World Cup and ‘playing for the people’
England greeted by excited fans on arrival at World Cup in Qatar
07:40 , Jack Rathborn
Gareth Southgate waved at excited fans as England arrived at their World Cup base to ramp up their quest for Qatar glory.
Having finished runners-up at last summer’s European Championship on the back of reaching the semi-finals in Russia four years ago, the Three Lions are among the favourites to triumph in the Middle East.
Southgate’s 26-man squad linked up at St George’s Park on Monday fresh from the Premier League pausing and followed a whirlwind day of duties by jetting off to Qatar on Tuesday.
England greeted by excited fans on arrival at World Cup in Qatar
France star Christopher Nkunku ruled out of World Cup after picking up leg injury in training
07:35 , Jack Rathborn
France forward Christopher Nkunku is out of the World Cup following a leg injury during training on Tuesday.
The Leipzig star, 25, was poised to break out as one of the stars of the tournament, having arrived as the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 12 goals in 15 games for RB Leipzig.
But after a challenge with Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, Nkunku will depart Les Bleus, who are yet to announce a replacement.
The French squad will fly to Qatar on Wednesday and take on Australia in their first Group D match.
