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

The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, slated to take place between November 20 and December 18, promises to be packed with action as 32 countries will fight it out for a chance to clinch the coveted trophy. Apart from all the footballing action that fans worldwide will witness, massive interest in the opening ceremony of the showpiece event is brewing quickly.

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Here's all you need to know about the Qatar World Cup 2022 opening ceremony:

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

Date: November 20, 2022 - before the opening clash between hosts Qatar versus Ecuador.

Time: 17:00 local / 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT / 01:00 (November 21) AEDT / 7:30 PM IST

Location: Al Bayt Stadium

The opening ceremony for the 2022 World Cup will take place as usual about two hours before the tournament's first match. The match in question will be played on November 20 between the hosts Qatar and Ecuador, with a scheduled kickoff time of 19:00. (local time, 9:30 PM IST). The event's organisers later changed the date from its original planned date of November 21.

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

FIFA are yet to confirm who will be performing at the showpiece event's opening ceremony. However, reports have stated that some of the possible performers are:

K-pop band and brand ambassadors of the FIFA World Cup 2022 - BTS
American musical group Black Eyed Peas
Colombian singer J Balvin
Nigerian singer and songwriter Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie
Actress and dancer Nora Fatehi
American rapper Lil Baby, who released an official anthem of the World Cup 2022 in late September

Earlier reports claim that Dua Lipa would be performing in this year's opening ceremony, but the 'One Kiss' singer has denied these claims. 'Waka Waka' singer Shakira too was expected to perform at the gala event, but reports have claimed that the Colombian singer has rejected the offer.

The 2018 World Cup in Russia saw the likes of Will Smith, Robbie Williams and Aida Garifullina perform.

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Where to watch the Qatar World Cup 2022 opening ceremony?

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

In India, football enthusiasts can enjoy the opening ceremony of the Qatar World Cup 2022 on Sports18 and Sports18 HD for those watching on TV and on Voot for those watching it online. 

The matches would be broadcasted on the same Sports 18 network.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will also be streamed on the JioCinema app in India. Matches can be watched on the JioCinema app for free without a subscription. You can also watch matches on laptops and desktops on the JioCinema website for free.

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India - TV: Sports 18; Live Stream: Voot, JioCinema app

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

Canada - TV: CTV, TSN; Live Stream: fuboTV, TSN app

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

Australia - TV: SBS; Live Stream: SBS On Demand

New Zealand - TV: Sky Sports; Live Stream: Sky Sport

Malaysia - TV: RTM, Astro; Live Stream: Astro Go

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

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

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