Find the full World Cup fixtures and results on our interactive page
Qatar and Ecuador will kick-off the World Cup finals on Sunday, November 20, after Fifa confirmed the match schedule for the group stages.
Hosts Qatar face the South Americans at the Al Bayt Stadium at 8pm (UAE) on the opening day of the tournament. Africa Cup of Nations winners Senegal and three-time World Cup runners-up the Netherlands were due to open the action before changes, and they now meet in their Group A showdown at the Al Thumama Stadium at 8pm on November 21.
England will also be in action on the second day as they launch their quest against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium, with the Group B fixture kicking off at 5pm. Group rivals the United States meet Wales in the day’s late fixture, which gets under way at 11pm.
Holders France are in action the day after, when they will face Australia in Group D at the Al Janoub Stadium in the late kick-off, while Christian Eriksen’s Denmark open against Tunisia at the Education City Stadium earlier the same day.
Favourites Brazil do not play until Thursday, November 24, when they meet Serbia in Group G at the Lusail Stadium in an 11pm kick-off.
Belgium, the team Brazil replaced at the top of Fifa’s ranking table earlier, play for the first time at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 23 against Group F rivals Canada, who have made the finals for the first time in 36 years.
The tournament will see Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in action for the first time on November 24, with Ghana their opponents at Stadium 974.
Group stage fixtures
(All Qatar kick-off times)
Sunday, November 20
Group A
Qatar 0-2 Ecuador — Al Bayt Stadium
Monday, November 21
Group A
Senegal 0-2 Netherlands — Al Thumama Stadium
Group B
England 6-2 Iran — Khalifa International Stadium
USA 1-1 Wales — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Tuesday, November 22
Group C
Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia — Lusail Stadium
Mexico 0-0 Poland — Stadium 974
Group D
Denmark 0-0 Tunisia — Education City Stadium
France 4-1 Australia — Al Janoub Stadium
Wednesday, November 23
Group E
Germany 1-2 Japan — Khalifa International Stadium
Spain 7-0 Costa Rica — Al Thumama Stadium
Group F
Morocco 0-0 Croatia — Al Bayt Stadium
Belgium 1-0 Canada — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Thursday, November 24
Group G
Switzerland 1-0 Cameroon — Al Janoub Stadium
Brazil 2-0 Serbia — Lusail Stadium
Group H
Uruguay 0-0 South Korea — Education City Stadium
Portugal 3-2 Ghana — Stadium 974
Friday, November 25
Group A
Qatar 1-3 Senegal — Al Thumama Stadium
Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador — Khalifa International Stadium
Group B
Wales 0-2 Iran — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
England 0-0 USA — Al Bayt Stadium
Saturday, November 26
Group C
Poland 2-0 Saudi Arabia — Education City Stadium
Argentina 2-0 Mexico — Lusail Stadium
Group D
Tunisia 0-1 Australia — Al Janoub Stadium
France 2-1 Denmark — Stadium 974
Sunday, November 27
Group E
Japan 0-1 Costa Rica — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Spain 1-1 Germany — Al Bayt Stadium
Group F
Belgium 0-2 Morocco — Al Thumama Stadium
Croatia 4-1 Canada — Khalifa International Stadium
Monday, November 28
Group G
Cameroon 3-3 Serbia — Al Janoub Stadium
Brazil 1-1 Switzerland — Stadium 974
Group H
South Korea 2-3 Ghana — Education City Stadium
Portugal 2-0 Uruguay — Lusail Stadium
Tuesday, November 29
Group A
Netherlands 2-0 Qatar — Al Bayt Stadium
Ecuador 1-2 Senegal — Khalifa International Stadium
Group B
Iran 0-1 USA — Al Thumama Stadium
Wales 0-3 England — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Wednesday, November 30
Group C
Poland 0-2 Argentina — Stadium 974
Saudi Arabia 1-2 Mexico — Lusail Stadium
Group D
Australia 1-0 Denmark — Al Janoub Stadium
Tunisia 1-0 France — Education City Stadium
Thursday, December 1
Group E
Japan 2-1 Spain — Khalifa International Stadium
Costa Rica 2-4 Germany — Al Bayt Stadium
Group F
Croatia 0-0 Belgium — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Canada 1-2 Morocco — Al Thumama Stadium
Friday, December 2
Group G
Serbia 2-3 Switzerland — Stadium 974
Cameroon 1-0 Brazil — Lusail Stadium
Group H
Ghana 0-2 Uruguay — Al Janoub Stadium
South Korea 2-1 Portugal — Education City Stadium
Round of 16
Saturday, December 3
Match 49 — Netherlands 3-1 USA Khalifa International Stadium
Match 50 — Argentina 2-1 Australia — Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Sunday, December 4
Match 51 — Group B winner v Group A runner-up — Al Bayt Stadium (10pm)
Match 52 — France 3-1 Poland — Al Thumama Stadium
Monday, December 5
Match 53 — Group E winner v Group F runner-up — Al Janoub Stadium, (6pm)
Match 54 — Group G winner v Group H runner-up — Stadium 947, (10pm)
Tuesday, December 6
Match 55 — Group F winner v Group E runner-up — Education City Stadium (6pm)
Match 56 — Group H winner v Group G runner-up — Lusail Stadium (10pm)
Quarter-finals
Friday, December 9
Match 57 — Match 49 winner v Match 50 winner — Lusail Stadium (10pm)
Match 58 — Match 53 winner v Match 54 winner — Education City Stadium (6pm)
Saturday, December 10
Match 59 — Match 51 winner v Match 52 winner — Al Bayt Stadium (10pm)
Match 60 — Match 55 winner v Match 56 winner — Al Thumama Stadium (6pm)
Semi-finals
Tuesday, December 13
Match 61 — Match 57 winner v Match 58 winner — Lusail Stadium (10pm)
Wednesday, December 14
Match 62 — Match 59 winner v Match 60 winner — Al Bayt Stadium (10pm)
Third-place play-off
Saturday, December 17
Match 63 — Khalifa International Stadium (6pm)
World Cup Final
Sunday, December 18
Match 64 — Lusail Stadium (6pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
SPECS
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FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
