(Reuters) – The World Cup in Qatar will kick off a day earlier than scheduled, governing body FIFA said on Thursday after its ruling bureau agreed unanimously to hold the opening ceremony and the host nation’s first match on Sunday, Nov. 20.
The original plan was for the opening ceremony to be held before Qatar’s game on Nov. 21 against Ecuador, which created the unusual situation of two matches – Senegal v Netherlands and England v Iran – being held before the ceremony.
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
