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Qatar makes late schedule change to FIFA Football World Cup

The World Cup’s start will be brought forward by a day to allow hosts Qatar to play the opening game, sources told AFP on Wednesday, just over three months before the competition gets underway.

Qatar will now play Ecuador on November 20, 24 hours earlier than planned, in a move that FIFA’s ruling council was expected to confirm soon, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.

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The change will see the tournament, which was switched to November-December to avoid the Gulf country’s searing summer heat, keep to its tradition of the hosts playing the opening match.

Senegal and the Netherlands had been scheduled to play the first game on November 21, followed by England against Iran and then the official opening match, Qatar’s World Cup debut, that evening.

“There were discussions and agreement between the two respective teams and there was a request from CONMEBOL — the South American confederation,” one World Cup source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity as no official decision has been announced.

“We wanted to follow the tradition that either the reigning champions or the host country be involved in the opening match,” the source added.

FIFA and the Qatari organizing committee declined to comment on the change to the mega event that ends on December 18.

But another tournament source said action would be taken to help fans with tickets for the November 21 game.

“Any disruption will be dealt with so the impact is minimal,” the source told AFP.

Under the change, Netherlands v Senegal in Group A would be moved from 1pm local time on November 21 to a 7pm start. “It is a better slot for both teams for television and other areas,” said the World Cup source.

England’s Group B match against Iran is not changed.

Companies with major deals linked to the World Cup expressed confidence that the unusual schedule change could be handled smoothly.

“It is something we will deal with,” said Jaime Byrom, chairman of Match Hospitality, which has a deal with FIFA to organize hospitality packages for World Cup matches and has locked in 450,000 tickets for the tournament.

“It is really not — compared to the other challenges that we could have faced or have faced in the past — a particularly large problem,” Byrom told AFP.

“We have to focus on those customers who are most affected and I guess in this case we will be looking at our Ecuadorean customers who are traveling from overseas, and making sure that they are on time for the match.”

Some pundits ridiculed the schedule change, asking why the move hadn’t already been considered.

New York Times reporter Tariq Panja tweeted: “Qatar and FIFA has had 12 years to plan for the 2022 World Cup now with just over 100 days and — with tickets sold, travel booked — they now want to start the tournament a day earlier so Qatar could play the first game (which could always have been the case). But here we are.

“What I suspect has happened here is that because it’s ‘only’ Ecuador and not a big European country, it has probably been easier to switch the game. What has never been made clear is why Qatar had not been placed in the opening game as per the original schedule.”

Journalist Grant Wahl wrote: “This late change to accommodate Qatar (and cause problems for Ecuador, including its fans) is of a piece with what I saw during the bid process for World Cup ’26 cities: FIFA does so much by the seat of its pants these days.”

The opening match is scheduled to be held at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt stadium, one of seven new venues purpose-built for the tournament since Qatar was controversially awarded the World Cup in 2010.

The wealthy Gulf state is preparing a spectacular opening ceremony in the stadium, whose structure was inspired by traditional Arab tents.

Moving forward the opening match will also mean changing the 100-day countdown that had been scheduled to start on Saturday, with special events across the tiny nation of 2.8 million people.

After a row over the bidding process, Qatar has faced criticism over labor rights and its treatment of the LGBTQ community. But FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said the tiny, gas-rich state will host the “best ever” World Cup.

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NRL won’t reverse result of West Tigers’ loss to North Queensland in round 19

The NRL won’t be reversing the outcome of Wests Tigers’ controversial loss to North Queensland in round 19 but will review the rule that allowed a captain’s challenge after the siren had gone.

And the Tigers also confirmed the club had decided not to pursue a course of legal action after “forcibly” making its position clear to the NRL in recent discussions having also undertaken independent advice.

In the aftermath of the Cowboys kicking a penalty kick to snatch a 27-26 victory courtesy of a captain’s challenge after the final siren, the NRL admitted bunker official Ashley Klein got the wrong call to uphold North Queensland’s challenge after winger Kyle Feldt and the Tigers ‘Asu Kepaoa collided while Feldt was chasing a kick.

Klein incorrectly ruled that Kepaoa had provided an “escort”.

The NRL world was fuming for what most considered the worst decision of the season and the Wests Tigers threatened legal action.

But after an investigation and meetings between league heavyweights and the clubs, the NRL declared on Monday there would be “no further consideration” of the match, ruling out awarding the game to the Tigers.

“Chairman and CEO of the Wests Tigers met with the chairman of the ARLC, NRL CEO and NRL head of football last week,” an NRL statement said.

“The meeting was agreed to discuss various aspects of the rulings made in the final minutes of the Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys match on 24 July 2022, being the subject of a formal complaint lodged by Wests Tigers with the NRL.

“The NRL has acknowledged the concerns raised by the Wests Tigers and in response has put forward its interpretation of the rules which enabled the captain’s challenge to be made and the subsequent decision of the bunker match official.

“The NRL has already acknowledged that the bunker official decision of ‘escort’ was incorrect, leading to the erroneous awarding of a penalty in favor of North Queensland Cowboys which ultimately decided the match.

“On the matter of whether the captain’s challenge was permissible in terms of how the rules were drafted, the NRL and the Wests Tigers expressed differing views and interpretation.

The NRL is comfortable with the interpretation that was applied but has acknowledged, in light of the concerns raised by the Wests Tigers, that the rule needs to be reviewed at the end of the season to provide more clarity so as to ensure that there is no future misunderstanding as to the intent and application of the rule.

“Wests Tigers will be consulted as part of the review, together with other interested clubs and stakeholders.

“The NRL acknowledges the professional and respectful manner in which the representatives of the Wests Tigers have pursued their concerns on behalf of their club’s members and fans.

“There will be no further consideration in relation to the match of 24 July 2022.”

Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis had said in the aftermath of the game that the club was exploring its legal options but the club ruled that out on Monday after talks with the NRL

In a statement the club said that decision may be “disappointing to many” but officials were happy they would be consulted on charges to the rules.

“We have made our point to the NRL and made it forcibly,” the statement said.

“We did so on behalf of our members and fans and gave voice to their legitimate concerns that the outcome of the match was not just nor fair. We extracted a concession from the NRL that the obstruction penalty which was given was erroneous and therefore, by implication, Wests Tigers should have won that match.

“We know it, everyone knows it. Unfortunately, the history books will not record it that way.”

Read related topics:Brisbane

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Wests Tigers vs Cowboys, escort penalty, captain’s challenge, video, outcome, Asu Kepaoa, Kyle Feldt

The NRL has conceded the use of the captain’s challenge “needs to be reviewed,” however no action will be taken regarding the Wests Tigers’ controversial loss to the Cowboys in Round 19.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have confirmed they will not pursue the matter any further.

The Tigers lodged a formal complaint after the Cowboys received an escort penalty in the final seconds of the game, allowing Valentine Holmes to kick the matchwinning goal.

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While there were big question marks raised over the penalty itself, there was also confusion over how the Cowboys were able to trigger a captain’s challenge when it seemed like play was never stopped.

As a result the Tigers demanded answers and began looking at legal options to potentially get the result overturned.

NRL defends Bunker call | 00:43

The NRL acknowledged that the escort penalty was incorrect but stood by the Cowboys’ right to use their captain’s challenge.

Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe and chairman Lee Hagipantelis met with ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and NRL head of football Graham Annesley last week to discuss the matter.

The NRL released a statement on Monday afternoon to confirm that no action will be taken regarding the result other than a review of the captain’s challenge at the end of the season.

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“The Chairman and CEO of the Wests Tigers met with the Chairman of the ARLC, NRL CEO and NRL Head of Football last week,” an NRL statement read.

“The meeting was agreed to discuss various aspects of the rulings made in the final minutes of the Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys match on 24 July 2022, being the subject of a formal complaint lodged by Wests Tigers with the NRL.

“The NRL has acknowledged the concerns raised by the Wests Tigers and in response has put forward its interpretation of the rules which enabled the Captain’s Challenge to be made and the subsequent decision of the Bunker match official.

“The NRL has already acknowledged that the Bunker official decision of “escort” was incorrect, leading to the erroneous awarding of a penalty in favor of North Queensland Cowboys which ultimately decided the match.

Tigers Chair won’t rule out legal action | 04:10

“On the matter of whether the Captain’s Challenge was permissible in terms of how the rules were drafted, the NRL and the Wests Tigers expressed differing views and interpretation.

“The NRL is comfortable with the interpretation that was applied but has acknowledged, in light of the concerns raised by the Wests Tigers, that the rule needs to be reviewed at the end of the season to provide more clarity so as to ensure that there is no future misunderstanding as to the intent and application of the rule. Wests Tigers will be consulted as part of the review, together with other interested Clubs and stakeholders.

“The NRL acknowledges the professional and respectful manner in which the representatives of the Wests Tigers have pursued their concerns on behalf of their Club’s members and fans.

“There will be no further consideration in relation to the match of 24 July 2022.”

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Following the NRL’s decision, the Tigers released a statement to confirm the club will not pursue legal action.

“Wests Tigers have decided not to pursue a course of legal action following the club’s loss to North Queensland Cowboys in Round 19 of the NRL Telstra Premiership,” the statement read.

“The club, through Chair Lee Hagipantelis and CEO Justin Pascoe, has been involved in lengthy discussions with the NRL over the past two weeks, and following the receipt of external legal advice, has decided against pursuing this matter any further.

“The NRL has acknowledged, in light of the concerns raised by the Wests Tigers, that the rules do need to be revised at the end of the season, so as to prevent similar incidents occurring again. Wests Tigers will be consulted as part of that review.

“Wests Tigers have been overwhelmed and humbled by the support the club has received from its members and fans.

“We have made our point to the NRL and made it forcibly. We did so on behalf of our members and fans and gave voice to their legitimate concerns that the outcome of the match was not just nor fair.

“We extracted a concession from the NRL that the obstruction penalty which was given was erroneous and therefore, by implication, Wests Tigers should have won that match.

“We know it, everyone knows it. Unfortunately, the history books will not record it that way.

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