FIFA World Cup

The opening game of the 2022 World Cup pits hosts Qatar versus Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium. Qatar is the first host nation to be World Cup debutants since Italy in 1934 (won the trophy). The host nation has never lost its opening match of a World Cup.

Wales ends a 64-year absence from the World Cup. The Welsh failed to score in both matches against USA: a 2-0 friendly defeat in San Jose on May 26, 2003 (goals by Landon Donovan and Eddie Lewis), and a 0-0 friendly draw in Swansea on Nov. 12, 2020.

This is the second time Mexico and Poland meet at the World Cup. The Poles defeated the Mexicans 3-1 in Rosario in the 1978 group stage courtesy of goals by Zbigniew Boniek (2) and Kazimierz Deyna. Victor Rangel netted the only goal for El Tri.

This is the first competitive match between Germany and Japan, after they met twice in friendlies. The Germans won 3-0 in Yokohama in 2004 (including two goals by Miroslav Klose) and it finished 2-2 in Leverkusen in 2006 (the hosts had trailed 2-0).

Canada returns to the World Cup after a gap of 36 years and plays Belgium. Canada is one of five teams to have played at the World Cup and never scored a goal at the tournament, alongside Dutch East Indies, Zaire, China PR and Trinidad and Tobago.

Spain is unbeaten in all three matches against Costa Rica, including a 5-0 victory in the most recent game between the nations in Málaga in November 2017. The goalscorers in that win were David Silva (2), Jordi Alba, Álvaro Morata and Andrés Iniesta.