Why Final Group-Stage Matches of FIFA World Cup 2022 are Taking Place at Same Time in Qatar

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is set to enter its business end in Qatar, and only 16 teams will make it to the knockout round. After losing their first two matches, hosts Qatar and minnows Canada have already been eliminated from the FIFA World Cup 2022. After winning the first two games of their respective groups, Brazil, France, and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal advanced to the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup.

As the Qatar World Cup draws to a close, the Netherlands will face Qatar on Tuesday, while Ecuador will face Senegal in Group A on Tuesday. The FIFA World Cup 2022 Group A matches are scheduled to begin in Qatar at the same time (8:30 PM IST) on matchday 3. Why are the final group games of the FIFA World Cup taking place at the same time?

In 1982, Austria and West Germany entered their names in FIFA's wall of shame. Known as the "Nichtangriffspakt von Gijón" or "Non-aggression pact of Gijón", West Germany defeated Austria 1-0 in the infamous World Cup match. As a result of Algeria's victory at the 1982 FIFA World Cup, it became the first African nation to defeat a European team in the tournament. Algeria defeated West Germany 2-1, then lost to Austria (0-2) before defeating Chile 3-2.

The Algerians would then play their final group game against West Germany and Austria. Austria and Germany were guaranteed qualification if the Germans won by one or two goals. If Germany had registered a bigger win, let's say 4-0 or 5-0, then the former champions would have paved the way for Algeria to enter the next round. West Germany and Austria both knew that a 1-0 or 2-0 win for the Germans would have secured the progression of the two teams from the group stage.

On 25 June 1982, West Germany and Austria squared off against each other at the El Molinon stadium in Gijon, Spain. After the Germans scored a goal in the first 10 minutes of the game, both teams remained keen on passing the ball instead of launching an attack or creating a goal-scoring opportunity at Gijon. The match ended 1-0 and both teams (West Germany and Austria) made it to the next round of the FIFA World Cup. No sanctions were imposed on West Germany and Austria in the wake of the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’. However, FIFA decided to change the rules of the World Cup in the aftermath of the incident and since then, all final group games are being played at the same time. The same format was also endorsed by UEFA in the European Championship.