The World Cup in Qatar is here and supporters can look forward to a month of international football.
Having the tournament in winter will take some getting used to but once the action starts it will be full systems go.
There are a few new things to look out for at this tournament. See below for the rules and changes you'll see over the next few weeks.
Bigger squads
For this year's tournament, the squads have been expanded from 23 to 26-man groups.
Football chiefs did the same for Euro 2020 when fears of Covid were rife, but this is the first time it has been implemented at a World Cup.
Twenty-three players can appear in matchday squads, meaning three will still miss out.
On the decision to expand World Cup squads from 23 to 26, FIFA explained: “Given the need to retain additional flexibility due to the unique timing of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in the global calendar, as well as the broader context of the disruptive effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on squads before and during tournaments, the Bureau has decided the following:
“The maximum number of players on the release list has been increased from 35 to 55. The number of players to be included on the final list has been increased to at least 23 and a maximum of 26. The final matchday at club level for the 23 to 26 players nominated on the final list will be 13 November 2022. No more than 26 people (up to 15 substitutes and 11 team officials – one of these officials must be the team doctor) will be allowed to sit on the team bench.”
Send your message of support to the Wales football team at the World Cup here
Five subs
As a knock-on from bigger squads, five substitutes will be allowed - but only in three windows of opportunity during games. So that means five subs can be brought on, but only in three windows.
If a game goes to extra time, another sub can be used.
Female officials
This is the first World Cup where we will see female referees officiate matches. Stephanie Frappart from France, Rwandan Salima Mukansanga and Yoshimi Yamashita from Japan will oversee games, with females also working as assistants referees during the tournament.
Offside technology
FIFA will use semi-automated offside technology at the tournament to help officials make faster and more accurate decisions. Read more:
The new bit of technology uses 12 dedicated tracking cameras, mounted underneath the roofs in stadiums, to monitor the ball and up to 29 data points of each player, 50 times per second, calculating their exact position on the pitch. The 29 collected data points include all limbs and extremities that are relevant for making offside calls.
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