Ronaldo dealt fresh blow on World Cup eve

Cristiano Ronaldo missed a grooming league with Portugal due to the fact that of a tummy bug that volition regularisation him retired of a World Cup warmup lucifer against Nigeria.

Portugal is scheduled to play against Nigeria successful Lisbon earlier flying to Qatar, and manager Fernando Santos said Ronaldo volition not diagnostic successful the game.

Ronaldo's build-up to the World Cup has been fraught pursuing the merchandise of excerpts of a TV interview successful which the five-time Ballon d'Or victor said helium feels "betrayed" by Manchester United and does not respect manager Erik 10 Hag.

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Portugal's opening radical crippled astatine the World Cup is against Ghana connected November 24 with South Korea and Uruguay besides successful the group.

Cristiano Ronaldo's lead-up to his 5th World Cup tourney has been tumultuous to accidental the slightest (Gualter Fatia via Getty Images)

With the showpiece tourney conscionable days away, here's everything you request to cognize astir the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

When is the World Cup?

Football's biggest tourney properly kicks disconnected Monday, November 21 astatine 9pm (AEDT) with contention occurring implicit the adjacent 4 weeks. As is usually the case, astir matches volition beryllium played successful the mediate of the nighttime for Australian audiences.

How to ticker the World Cup successful Australia?

Every lucifer of the World Cup volition beryllium disposable connected SBS.

Under the caller extended trading hours argumentation for premises, prime establishments volition besides beryllium allowed to unfastened successful the aboriginal hours of the greeting for anxious shot fans to watch.

Wide World of Sports volition beryllium extensively unrecorded blogging the tourney opening connected Monday evening, November 18.

This year's World Cup is apt to beryllium the 5th and last successful some Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's storied careers (Getty)

How does the World Cup fixture work?

The 32 teams are divided into 8 groups of four. Each squad volition play the different 3 teams successful its radical once, with the apical 2 teams from each radical advancing to the knockout stage.

There are 4 knockout stages: the circular of 16, 4th finals, semi finals and the final. 

Which teams person qualified for the World Cup truthful far?

The tourney volition comprise 32 teams who volition vie crossed 64 matches.

Asia: Qatar (hosts), Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

Oceania: Australia

Africa: Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia

Europe: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Wales

North America: Canada, Mexico, USA, Costa Rica

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay

Which nations are successful which World Cup group?

World Cup previews: All 32 squads | Group A | Group B| Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H

The Australian Socceroos World Cup squad airs during the Australia Official Team Photoshoot (Robert Cianflone via Getty Images)

Who is successful the Socceroos' squad?

Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan (C), Danny Vukovic, Andrew Redmayne

Defenders: Harry Souttar, Kye Rowles, Milos Degenek, Aziz Behich, Fran Karacic, Nathaniel Atkinson, Thomas Deng, Bailey Wright, Joel King, Keanu Baccus

Midfielders: Jackson Irvine, Aaron Mooy, Ajdin Hrustic, Riley McGree, Cameron Devlin

Forwards: Jamie Maclaren, Martin Boyle, Awer Mabil, Garang Kuol, Craig Goodwin, Mitchell Duke, Jason Cummings, Mat Leckie

Who is successful Australia's group?

The Socceroos were drawn successful Group D alongside reigning champions France, Denmark and Tunisia.

France (FIFA men's satellite ranking No.4)

The defending champions were hardly troubled successful qualifying, going undefeated and locking up a spot successful Qatar connected the penultimate matchday with a thumping 8-0 triumph implicit Kazakhstan.

Australia volition person to travel up against the astir costly footballer astatine the World Cup successful France's Kylian Mbappe (James Williamson - AMA via Getty Images)

Denmark (FIFA men's satellite ranking No.10)

A 1-0 triumph implicit Austria was capable for Denmark to apical their European qualifying radical with 2 games remaining, finishing good up of Scotland successful 2nd place, adjacent with the second triumphing connected a last time dormant rubber.

Tunisia (FIFA men's satellite ranking No.30)

Tunisia were matched up against Mali successful a two-legged play-off, with the lone extremity crossed 180 minutes of shot coming via a Moussa Sissako ain goal.

When bash the Socceroos play?

France vs Australia - Wednesday November 23, 6:00am (AEDT), Al Janoub Stadium

Tunisia vs Australia - Saturday November 26, 9:00pm (AEDT), Al Janoub Stadium

Australia vs Denmark - Thursday December 1, 2:00am (AEDT), Al Janoub Stadium

DOHA, QATAR - JUNE 13: Andrew Redmayne of Australia reacts aft redeeming a punishment shootout extremity successful the 2022 FIFA World Cup Playoff lucifer betwixt Australia Socceroos and Peru astatine Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium connected June 13, 2022 successful Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images) (Getty)

How did Australia suffice for the World Cup?

In lawsuit you missed it, Australia had to spell done 2 tense abrupt decease qualifiers to scope Qatar; archetypal against the UAE, and past Peru. The latter, of course, ended successful a punishment shootout victory, with Andrew Redmayne penning his sanction successful Australian sporting history.

When and wherever is the World Cup final?

The World Cup last volition beryllium played connected Monday, December 19 astatine 2:00am (AEDT). The decider volition instrumentality spot astatine the tournament's largest venue, the Lusail Stadium.

Who is the favourite to triumph Qatar 2022?

Brazil (FIFA men's satellite ranking No.1): $4.50 likelihood per PointsBet

The five-time champions secured qualification with plentifulness of games to spare, winning 14 and drafting 3 of their 17 matches. It was 1 of the astir awesome qualifying campaigns ever, as they easy finished connected apical up of arch-rivals Argentina.

The different teams who are among the favourites to instrumentality retired the World Cup see Argentina ($6.50), France ($7.50) and England ($9.00).

Brazil is the bookmakers' favourite heading into the Qatar World Cup, presently paying $4.50 (Antonio Borga via Getty Images)

Who are the erstwhile winners of the World Cup?

2018: France
2014: Germany
2010: Spain
2006: Italy
2002: Brazil
1998: France
1994: Brazil
1990: Germany
1986: Argentina

Brazil is the astir palmy state successful FIFA World Cup past with 5 titles, the astir caller coming successful 2002 (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

1982: Italy
1978: Argentina
1974: Germany
1970: Brazil
1966: England
1962: Brazil
1958: Brazil
1954: Germany
1950: Uruguay
1938: Italy
1934: Italy
1930: Uruguay

With 5 titles, Brazil is the astir palmy World Cup squad and is besides the lone federation to person played successful each 22 editions of the tournament.

Where is the adjacent World Cup being held?

Following Qatar 2022, the adjacent World Cup is expected to instrumentality spot successful June and July 2026, with an extended format owed to the summation successful teams to 48 nations.

A trio of nations - including the USA, Canada and Mexico - volition big the 2026 World Cup with games divided betwixt the countries.

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