Each of the 32 participating teams must submit a preliminary selection of players for the World Cup by Friday as they begin the process of finalising their squads for the tournament in Qatar.
All the teams are required to send a list of a minimum of 35 players up to a maximum of 55 on Friday, as per FIFA regulations.
Furthermore, the final squad must come from the preliminary list and is not allowed to change players for a duration of three weeks.
The preliminary selection won’t be published by FIFA, but teams have the option to disclose their choices.
This is the first time a World Cup preliminary list has been expanded to 55 since Russia’s tournament and past editions.
Dubbed a World Cup of firsts, this year’s squads will debut 26 members instead of the usual 23 to factor in injuries and the tournament’s timing as it kicks off during several football leagues.
On the 14 November, a few days before the World Cup, FIFA will require all teams to report their rosters for the World Cup
Qatar confident
Meanwhile, the host country on Monday said is ready to hold the FIFA World Cup in just over one month.
In attendance at the “One Month to Go” press conference, Chief Executive Officer of the World Cup Nasser Al Khater applauded his team’s efforts and all those involved.
“Qatar is ready to host a global celebration of the beautiful game,” he said.
“We look forward to welcoming fans and players from across the world as they sample our welcoming hospitality, vast array of entertainment options, and, of course, top-class international football.
“It promises to be a unique edition of the FIFA World Cup – and one that will leave a lasting, positive impact on Qatar, the Middle East, and the Arab world,” said Al Khater.
Yasir Al Jamal, Director General, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), said: “We look forward to hosting a tournament that will live long in the memory of fans from across the globe”
Qatar’s upcoming World Cup will host a total of 74 pitches which includes training grounds for the teams as well as the country’s eight stadiums.
“Pitches are of course, at the top of our priority list, both at the training sites and across the stadiums. In total, we’ve got 74 pitches that make up this World Cup, eight in the stadium, 32 in the base camps where there will be two training sites each, and also a referee at base camp,” FIFA’s Smith said.
All stadiums will have artificial grow lights to replace the natural light lost by shading from the roofs and will be maintained by over 700 groundkeepers.
Qatar has built eight stadiums to host the World Cup, all of which have been tested in major events over the last two years.
Most recently, the iconic Lusail Stadium was trialled during the Lusail Super Cup, in which Egypt’s Zamalek and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli.
While the stadiums have been finalised, final construction projects around the country, such as roadwork in the capital Doha, have yet to be completed racing against time.
