The FIFA World Cup set for Qatar in 2022 will mark a number of firsts. It will be a historical World Cup as it is the first tournament to be hosted in the Middle East. Qatar was awarded the privilege to host it in December 2010.
FIFA has also shifted the competition’s staging from June and July to November and December, allowing the event to take place when temperatures in the host country are significantly lower.
This has created consternation among many league executives worldwide, as the World Cup will now be held when the great majority of the main domestic leagues are still in play, notably in Europe, where the summer is their offseason. The effect, however, is not set to be felt elsewhere as sport betting will go on as attention shifts to the World Cup and other sports.
The effect of the World Cup on the English Premier League
The 2022/23 English Premier League season began on August 5, a week earlier than the previous campaign, and will end on May 28, 2023, a week later than in 2022.
The teams will be in action until the November 12/13 weekend, when the league will take a break to allow players participating in the World Cup to return to their respective national sides.
The EPL will return on December 26, just eight days after the World Cup final, and fans will continue to enjoy the numerous betting markets that Betway has been known to offer for many years.
The effect of the World Cup on the Spanish La Liga
Despite the difficult schedule imposed by the World Cup, Spanish teams began the 2022/23 season on the same weekend as they did the previous season.
The season kicked off on August 12, with action set to be paused for the World Cup after a midweek round set for November 9.
Because there will be no games over the Christmas holiday, games in Spain following the World Cup will not resume until December 31. The final fixture round is scheduled for June 4, 2023, two weeks later than the previous season’s finale.
The effect of the World Cup on the German Bundesliga
The Bundesliga in Germany will take a two-month sabbatical from domestic competition.
The advantage of having 18 clubs in their top tier, as opposed to 20 in England, Spain, and Italy, is that there are four fewer games to squeeze in, with 34 total games to be played.
German action began on August 5 and will continue until November 13, when it will be interrupted by the World Cup.
The Bundesliga, on the other hand, will enjoy their customary domestic rest, as players will have another month off from competitive activity once the Qatar celebrations end. Action resumes on January 20, with the last round of league matches scheduled to be played on May 27.
The effect of the World Cup on the Italian Serie A
Italy will not be taking part in the World Cup after falling to North Macedonia in the playoffs, but the local league will be paused due to the large number of foreign players in the league who will be traveling to Qatar.
The Serie A season began on August 13 and will go on until November 13. Teams will not return to action until January 4, 2023.
For betting fans, the interruptions of the top European leagues should not deter them from pursuing their betting interests, as the World Cup offers plenty of betting opportunities for fans worldwide. Betway and other leading bookmakers will have all the matches available, plus other lower-tier matches from across all continents.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.