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FIFA and the Qatari organizers have accepted this change, said the same sources. They explained that the official inauguration match between the host country Qatar and Ecuador, initially scheduled for November 21 at 5 p.m. (Belgian) would have taken place after Senegal-Netherlands (11 a.m. Belgian) and England-Iran (14 hours Belgian) and would not have been the first meeting of the tournament.
The tradition, which wants the host country to play the first match of the tournament, will therefore be well respected.
