The 2022/23 Premier League and European season has now paused for a six-week break for the FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar.
Five West Ham United players will represent their countries in the Middle East – Nayef Aguerd, Alphonse Areola, Thilo Kehrer, Lucas Paquetá and Declan Rice – equaling the record number of Hammers to appear at the tournament set in 2010.
While 32 nations will battle to become world champions in Qatar, a number of other West Ham players will feature in friendly international matches.
Here is a guide to where our players will be in action this winter…
Who has been called-up?
Eight senior West Ham players have been included in their countries’ squads.
Aguerd (Morocco), Areola (France), Kehrer (Germany), Paquetá (Brazil) and Rice (England) are all off to the World Cup, while Saïd Benrahma (Algeria), Vladimír Coufal and Tomáš Souček (both Czech Republic) will be involved in friendly international matches for their respective countries.
A tenth player, 20-year-old goalkeeper Krisztián Hegyi, has been included in Hungary’s squad for two U21 international friendly fixtures.
Where and when will they play?
Well, the World Cup quintet will play all their competitive matches in Qatar, but some also have warm-up games to prepare them for the big tournament.
Aguerd’s Morocco take on Georgia in one such warm-up match in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday 17 November, before travelling 500 miles east to Qatar. There, Morocco begin their 2022 World Cup campaign against Croatia at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday 23 November at 11am GMT, then face Belgium at Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday 27 November at 1pm GMT, and then Canada at Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday December 1 at 3pm GMT.
Areola and defending champions France will not play a warm-up match. Les Bleus begin their Group D campaign against Australia at the Al Wakrah Sports Complex on Tuesday 22 November at 7pm GMT, then face UEFA Euro 2020 semi-finalists Denmark at Stadium 974 on Saturday 26 November at 4pm GMT and finally Tunisia at Education City Stadium on Wednesday 30 November at 3pm GMT.
Kehrer’s Germany have been drawn with on Japan, Spain and Costa Rica in Group E. The four-time World Cup winners begin against Japan on Wednesday 23 November at 11am GMT at Khalifa International Stadium, then face Spain – in a repeat of the UEFA 2008 European Championship final – on Sunday 27 November at Al Bayt Stadium at 7pm GMT, and Costa Rica on Thursday 1 December at Al Bayt Stadium at 7pm GMT.
Paquetá and Brazil begin their quest for a record sixth World Cup against Serbia on 24 November at the Lusail Stadium at 7pm GMT, then take on Switzerland at Stadium 974 on 28 November at 4pm GMT, and Cameroon at Lusail Stadium on 2 December at 7pm GMT.
Rice and England are, of course, seeking a second World Cup after Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters led the Three Lions to glory in 1966. Fifty-six years on, England take on Iran, USA and Wales in Group B as they seek to bring football home.
The 23-year-old and his compatriots begin their 2022 World Cup campaign against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday 21 November at 1pm GMT, then face the United States at Al Bayt Stadium on Friday 25 November at 7pm GMT and Wales at Al Rayyan Stadium on Tuesday 29 November at 7pm GMT.
Away from the World Cup, Benrahma’s Algeria will take on Mali in a friendly in Algiers on Wednesday 16 November, then travel to Malmö to face Sweden on Saturday 19 November.
Coufal and national-team captain Souček will feature for Czech Republic in friendly matches on the same dates with the Faroe Islands in Olomouc and Turkey in Gaziantep respectively.
Hegyi and Hungary U21s travel to Belek in Turkey to take on Azerbaijan and Denmark on Thursday 17 November and Sunday 20 November.
How can I watch the Hammers on TV?
Monday 21 November
Rice – England v Iran, FIFA World Cup Group B – BBC One, 1pm GMT
Tuesday 22 November
Areola – France v Australia, FIFA World Cup Group D – BBC One, 7pm GMT
Wednesday 23 November
Aguerd – Morocco v Croatia, FIFA World Cup Group F – ITV, 10am GMT
Kehrer – Germany v Japan, FIFA World Cup Group E – ITV, 1pm GMT
Thursday 24 November
Paquetá – Brazil v Serbia, FIFA World Cup Group G – BBC One, 7pm GMT
Friday 25 November
Rice – England v United States, FIFA World Cup Group B – ITV, 7pm GMT
Saturday 26 November
Areola – France v Denmark, FIFA World Cup Group D – ITV, 4pm GMT
Sunday 27 November
Aguerd – Belgium v Morocco, FIFA World Cup Group F – BBC One, 1pm GMT
Kehrer – Spain v Germany, FIFA World Cup Group E – BBC One, 7pm GMT
Monday 28 November
Paquetá – Brazil v Switzerland, FIFA World Cup Group G – ITV, 4pm GMT
Tuesday 29 November
Rice – Wales v England, FIFA World Cup Group B – BBC One, 7pm GMT
Wednesday 30 November
Areola – Tunisia v France, FIFA World Cup Group D – BBC One, 3pm GMT
Thursday 1 December
Aguerd – Canada v Morocco, FIFA World Cup Group F – BBC Two, 3pm GMT
Kehrer – Costa Rica v Germany, FIFA World Cup Group E – ITV TBC, 7pm GMT
Friday 2 December
Paquetá – Cameroon v Brazil, FIFA World Cup Group G – ITV TBC, 7pm GMT
