FIFA has formally moved the World Cup start-up by one day and given host nation Qatar an exclusive Sunday evening slot with a global audience.
Qatar will now play Ecuador in Doha on November 20 — just 101 days after FIFA's decision Thursday — stretching the World Cup to 29 days from the 28 agreed seven years ago after a June-July tournament was pushed back to avoid the searing desert heat in midsummer.
The surprise late switch was signed off by a FIFA committee comprising its president Gianni Infantino and presidents of the six continental football bodies. FIFA said the vote was unanimous.