Qatar World Cup 2022 closing ceremony: Date, time, performers, where to watch in India and more

After a month of gruelling football action, the stage is set for a mouth-watering Argentina vs France clash at the Qatar World Cup 2022 grand finale on Sunday, December 18. All eyes will be on legendary forward Lionel Messi, who confirmed this would be his last appearance on football's grandest stage, and French sensation Kylian Mbappe who is eyeing his second consecutive World Cup glory.

Before the high-octane encounter at Doha's Lusail Stadium, a glittering closing ceremony will enthral spectators and those viewing from home. Here's all you need to know about the Qatar World Cup 2022 closing ceremony:

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When, what time, and where will the Qatar World Cup 2022 closing take place?

Date: December 18, 2022 - Before Argentina vs France finals
Time: 16:00 local / 6:30 PM IST / 8:00 ET / 13:00 GMT / 00:00 (December 19) AEDT
Location: Lusail Stadium - 80,000 capacity

The closing ceremony for the Qatar World Cup 2022 will take place as usual about two hours before the tournament's grand finale. The match will be between Argentina and France, with a scheduled kickoff time of 6:00 local time, 8:30 PM IST.

Which artists will perform at the Qatar World Cup 2022 closing ceremony?

FIFA has yet to release the full lineup for the closing ceremony. However, reports suggest that Nigerian-American musician Davido is slated to headline the event and perform "Hayya Hayya (Better Together)", one of the songs featured in this year's World Cup soundtrack.

Nora Fatehi, an Indian actress and musician, is also rumoured to be participating. Fatehi, who contributed vocals to the song "Light the Sky" from the World Cup soundtrack this year, is anticipated to perform either the official anthem or a Bollywood song during the closing ceremony.

Puerto Rican artist Ozuna is also expected to perform his track 'Arhbo' alongside French-Congolese rapper Gims. The song is part of the official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 soundtrack.

Meanwhile, reports added that stars like Shakira and Jennifer Lopez would likely make music-video appearances.

Global celebrities like Morgan Freeman and K-Pop artist Jungkook took part in the competition's star-studded opening ceremony, and it is still being determined how the broadcasters would approach the competition's conclusion.

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Where to watch the Qatar World Cup 2022 closing ceremony?

The closing ceremony of the 2022 World Cup will be broadcast on television and online in various locations worldwide, drawing a sizable audience. 

In India, football enthusiasts can enjoy the closing ceremony of the Qatar World Cup 2022 on Sports18 and Sports18 HD for those watching on TV and the JioCinema live streaming app for those watching online.

India - 6:30 PM IST - TV: Sports 18, Sports 18 HD; Live Stream: JioCinema app/website

United States - 8:00 ET - TV: FOX, Telemundo; Live Stream: fuboTV, Fox Sports app, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo 

Canada - 8:00 ET - TV: CTV, TSN; Live Stream: TSN app

United Kingdom - 15:00 GMT - TV: BBC One; Live Stream: BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Website

Australia (Dec 19) - 00:00 AEDT - TV: SBS; Live Stream: SBS On Demand

New Zealand (Dec 19) - 02:00 NZDT - TV: Sky Sports; Live Stream: Sky Sport

Malaysia - 21:00 MYT - TV: RTM, Astro; Live Stream: Astro Go

Singapore - 21:00 SGT - TV: Mediacorp Channel 5; Live Stream: StarHub TV+, IPTV, Singtel TV

Hong Kong - 21:00 HKT - TV: BeIN Sports, ITV; Live Stream: Now TV, ViuTV

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