Australia FIFA World Cup 2022 schedule: Know Socceroos’ fixtures and how to watch live

The Australian national football team, known as the Socceroos, will start their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign on Wednesday, November 23 and will face an uphill task as they will go up against defending champions France in their opener. 

Australia at FIFA World Cup

Australia only reached their first FIFA World Cup in 1974 -- where they managed a point in West Germany via a draw with Chile despite failing to score a single goal in three games. And after a 32-year wait from then to their next tournament, the Socceroos have been on an impressive string of five straight appearances starting in 2006.

In those ‘06 finals – held this time in a reunified Germany – they reached past the group stages for the first and only time in history. Always competitive, only once have the Socceroos failed to earn at least a point at a World Cup (Brazil 2014).

The Australians switched continental qualifying regions from Oceania – who receive no automatic qualifying spot – to Asia in 2006. They’re now led by coach and former international Graham Arnold at their sixth overall World Cup appearance in Qatar and are eager to at least match their Germany 2006 mark, when they beat Japan and drew Croatia to reach the Round of 16 (where they just barely lost out to eventual champions Italy via a stoppage time Francesco Totti spot-kick).

Australia FIFA World Cup 2022 squad

Goalkeepers: Maty Ryan, Andrew Redmayne, Danny Vukovic

Defenders: Milos Degenek, Aziz Behich, Joel King, Nathaniel Atkinson, Fran Karacic, Harry Souttar, Kye Rowles, Bailey Wright, Thomas Deng

Midfielders: Aaron Mooy, Jackson Irvine, Ajdin Hrustic, Keanu Baccus, Cameron Devlin, Riley McGree

Forwards: Awer Mabil, Mathew Leckie, Martin Boyle, Jamie Maclaren, Jason Cummings, Mitchell Duke, Garang Kuol, Craig Goodwin

The current Team Australia is notably devoid of big-name stars. But they’re a firm fist of a squad with a mix of players from the country’s domestic league and others out making a name for themselves overseas.

Awer Mabil, born in a Kenyan refugee camp before arriving in Australia and eventually joining Cadiz in Spain’s La Liga, will be relied on to generate much of the attack. The speedy winger was critical in an Aussies qualifying campaign that saw them reach the World Cup after a third place finish in the Asian qualifiers and a subsequent play-off with Peru.

Mabil scored one of the penalties in that dramatic shootout that sent the side to Qatar.

Another hero that day was jelly-legged goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne. Though the Australian No1 in Qatar is likely to be FC Copenhagen’s Matt Ryan, fans Down Under will know – should they reach the knockout rounds – that they have a colorful (and effective) pot-kick specialist in the veteran Sydney FC net-minder.

Hibernian wide man Martin Boyle, Italian side Hellas Verona’s schemer Ajdin Hrustic and midfielder Aaron Mooy of Celtic Glasgow are also crucial cogs in a hard-working Australia side that will need to play as a dedicated unit if they harbor hopes of escaping a tough group alongside defending champions France and Christian Eriksen's Denmark.

Other notable names in the squad are Sunderland defender Bailey Wright and rising teenage star Garang Kuol who is due to join Newcastle United in January.

Australia FIFA World Cup 2022 fixtures, schedule and live match start times

Australia's Group D FIFA World Cup fixtures

• November 23, Wednesday: France vs Australia (AUS) at Al Janoub Stadium | 6:00 AM AEDT
• November 26, Saturday: Tunisia vs Australia (AUS) at Al Janoub Stadium | 9:00 PM AEDT
• December 1, Thursday: Australia vs Denmark (AUS) at Al Janoub Stadium | 2:00 AM AEDT

FIFA World Cup knockout rounds schedule

• December 3-6: Round of 16 | 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM EDT
• December 9-10: Quarter-finals | 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM EDT
• December 13-14: Semi-finals | 2:00 PM EDT
• December 17: Match for Third Place | 10:00 AM EDT
• December 18: Final | 10:00 AM EDT

Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 live in Australia?

Broadcast and live streaming: SBS, SBS VICELAND SBS On Demand