A Qatar World Cup primer

Facts and figures about the championship of the world’s most popular sport, being held in a nation roughly the size of Connecticut:

OUT OF SEASON

The hosting of the World Cup in a country in which the average high temperature during the summer months is 108 degrees forced the tournament to be moved to November and December for the first time in its history. This played havoc with schedules in European domestic leagues, although it spared MLS having the same problem for the first time in its history.

EARLY RISERS

With starting times geared to making sure the action can be seen at a reasonable hour in European and South American nations, fans in the Pacific time zone will be able to watch most games in the mid-to-late morning hours, but some games will also start at 2 a.m. or 5 a.m.

WHO’S THERE, WHO ISN’T

Qatar will be making its first appearance in the finals, courtesy of its status as host. With 32 teams in the field, most of the ranking powers in the game qualified, including former champions Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, England, Spain and defending champion France. The United States, which had a run of seven consecutive finals appearances, is back after failing to qualify for the 2018 Cup, as is perennial qualifier Mexico. Italy,

a four-time champion, is the biggest name to have failed to qualify. Ukraine had been a sentimental favorite during qualifying but failed at the end. Russia, the 2018 host, was kicked out of qualifying by FIFA.

UNITED STATES

The U.S. will play its first-round games at 11 a.m. Pacific, opening with Wales on Nov. 21, followed by matches against England on Nov. 25 and Iran on Nov. 29. All those games will be broadcast on Channel 11 and Telemundo.

MEXICO

Mexico opens Nov. 22 against Poland at 8 a.m. and has 11 a.m. games against Argentina on Nov. 26 and Saudi Arabia on Nov. 30. All three games will be broadcast by Telemundo; the game with Poland will also be shown on Channel 11, with the other two shown on FS1.

WHO’S FAVORED?

Though the competition appears more wide open than in the past, the usual powers still are ranked as the most likely to win based on early betting lines. France, which returns a number of star players from its 2018 champions, is among that group, along with Brazil, Argentina, England and Spain.