November 9 – In the latest rebuttal of the constant criticism faced by host nation Qatar, World Cup CEO Nasser Al Khater (pictured) has claimed that Europeans think they hold a monopoly on the tournament.
November 9 – In an analysis that will surprise few observers, data scientists from KU Leuven have calculated that Brazil have a one in five chance to win the World Cup, confirming their status as top favourites in Qatar.
November 9 – There are five or six teams that wouldn’t be a surprise to see win the World Cup, but early on an arguably more interesting talking point will be which teams among the world’s elite, and who are at short odds in World Cup betting, will end up falling at the first hurdle?
November 8 – World Cup organisers and FIFA president Gianni Infantino have been at pains in recent weeks to promise that everyone will be welcome in Qatar regardless of sexual orientation.
November 8 – In a move highlighting how football is closing ranks against the constant barrage of criticism of World Cup hosts Qatar, South America’s governing (Conmebol) said it is time to focus on football and for “disagreements to take a back seat”, echoing FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
November 8 – Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino will not play at the World Cup after Brazil coach Tite picked Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli over him. The 39-year-old Daniel Alves was also included among the 26 players who will go in search of a sixth world title for Brazil in Qatar.
November 8 – Argentine authorities have drawn up a list of 6,000 fans who will be banned from attending the World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 7 – Ten European countries, including eight at the World Cup, have brushed aside FIFA’s request to shut up and stick to football by demanding “concrete answers” over issues relating to human rights and Qatar’s migrant workers.
November 7 – Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (pictured) has called on world football to unite behind the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, only the second time an Asian country hosts the tournament.
November 7 – Qatar’s foreign minister has accused Germany of “double standards” over its criticism of the World Cup host’s human rights record and even suggested Europe was being racist.
November 7 – French construction group Vinci is continuing to deny accusations made about working conditions on its worksites in Qatar, and says it will continue to co-operate with the courts over the matter.
November 7 – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has had enough of being asked about the World Cup in Qatar. At a news conference, he lashed out at the media for not raising the issues over Qatar when it mattered, but admitted that “we all let it happen”.
November 4 – Increasingly alarmed about their showpiece tournament being undermined by constant criticism over Qatar’s human rights record, FIFA’s leadership has taken the unprecedented step of pleading with the 32 finalists to concentrate on the football.
November 4 – The injury list to key players is mounting just a fortnight before the World Cup, hitting preparations hard and fuelling the debate about staging the tournament in mid-season.
November 4 – Qatar authorities are relaxing strict entry rules during the later phase of the World Cup and will now allow in fans without tickets from December 2 when the group stage ends.