FIFA President: 'The best group stage of the 2022 World Cup in history'

"I watched all the matches. Simply and clearly, this is the best World Cup group stage in history. The matches and the stadiums are of great quality," Infantino said at a press conference. December 7 in Qatar.

The 2022 World Cup group stage witnessed many surprising results. Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina 2-1, Japan defeated Germany 2-1, then Spain with the same score 2-1, Morocco defeated Belgium 2-0, Cameroon beat Brazil 1-0, or Korea won. Portugal 2-1.

According to Infantino, these results show that the level of football is becoming even, and that "there is no longer a concept of a big team, a small team".

The 2022 World Cup also recorded for the first time that all five continents have representatives: Asia (Japan, Korea), Europe (Spain, Portugal, England, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands) , Poland, Croatia), Oceania (Australia), America (USA, Brazil, Argentina) and Africa (Morocco, Senegal). "This is proof of the so-called global football," Infantino added.

While many Asian and African teams surprised, some of the top teams in the FIFA rankings had to return home soon. Before Spain was eliminated by Morocco in the 1/8 round, Belgium and Germany left the tournament right from the group stage.

"We hope the World Cup will continue and end as it began, a great success," Infantino insisted.

According to the FIFA President, the average number of spectators at the stadium reached 51,000 people per game. On television, the 2022 World Cup is reaching a record of 2 billion viewers. The atmosphere is also vibrant thanks to 2.5 million people on the streets of Doha, Qatar and hundreds of thousands of people gathering around the stadiums every game.

"I think this year's World Cup will reach 5 billion viewers on television," Infantino forecast.