The 22nd edition of the FIFA men’s World Cup tournament is scheduled to kick off today in Doha, Qatar. In every ramification, this edition is quite different from any that has been held since the 1930 inaugural tournament in Uruguay. It is the first time this global football showpiece will be taking place in the Middle East and the Arab world.

For the first time also, the World Cup will be played during the Northern Hemisphere mild winter months of November–December outside the usual June-July schedule. With the farthest venue barely 20 minutes away from the city centre, the tournament will last only 29 days, making it one of the shortest in more than four decades. The final of the tournament will be played on 18^th December with 32 countries competing across 64 matches.

Meanwhile, Qatar got the hosting rights in 2010 after beating off stiff competition from the United States and Australia. The gulf nation, of less than three million people has spent over $200 billion in providing the eight match venues, hotels, roads and other supporting state of the art infrastructure that will ensure the success of the quadrennial tournament.

FIFA president, Gianni Infantino has written to all 32 competing nations, urging them to “let football take the stage” in Qatar. From today, that’ will be the reality. Countries derive absolute pride in qualifying for the event while winning the World Cup is considered the ultimate benchmark to measure nationalism. Eight countries; Uruguay, Brazil, Italy, England, Germany, France, Argentina and Spain have lifted the trophy since inception. Of the pack Brazil is the most successful nation having lifted the trophy on five different occasions while Germany has four victories.

Today marks an exciting moment for Qatar and the World as everyone anticipates it to be one of the best tournaments .Yes its time for football to take centre stage.