Friday 25 November 2022 07:17 AM Word Cup Qatar: Wales and England kick off TODAY trends now
Millions of Britons will enjoy a festival of World Cup football today as Wales and England both play crunch matches today.
The Welsh could make history this morning if they beat Iran with England to qualify for the knock out stages if they defeat the USA in the big match tonight.
Millions of Britons will watch the two matches today with many schoolchildren in Wales given a break from lessons and will be allowed to watch Gareth Bale and his teammates play at 10am.
An estimated 10,000 English and Welsh fans are in Doha for the matches and were drinking late into the night last night ahead of their games today.
Wales badly need a result before they play England next week. If they beat Iran at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium then it will be their first World Cup victory in 64 years.
And Welsh fans will be able to wear their rainbow bucket hats, after FIFA stepped in after the Qatari authorities began seizing them at their last match amid tensions about their treatment of LGBT people.
England fans will be praying that Harry Kane is fit after an injury scare this week when he hurt his ankle during the Three Lions' 6-2 win over the Iranians.
Gareth Bale's Wales and Harry Kane's England both play matches at the Qatar World Cup today
Bale will make his own history by becoming his country's most capped men's footballer against Iran.
Gareth Southgate's England have their fate in their own hands and will qualify from the group stages a game early if they beat the Americans at the Al Bayt Stadium
Gareth Bale has urged teachers in Wales to let children watch a World Cup 'mini history lesson' in Qatar.
Wales' second game of the 2022 World Cup kicks off at 10am GMT on Friday when children are in class.
The PA news agency revealed earlier this month that children had been given the green light to support Robert Page's side.
The Welsh Government has left it up to individual schools to decide whether to allow children to watch the game, and Bale wants as many of them as possible to do so.
Bale said: 'Being a 10am kick-off in Wales, if I was one of the teachers, I'd let them watch the game.
'I hope they do. It's a historical moment in Wales, for us to be at a World Cup.
'Some of the parents of kids I know all want to watch the game but don't want to take them off school.
'So I think a lot of schools will put the game on for them to cheer us on and get behind us.
'It's a mini history lesson, and hopefully it'll be a great occasion for all of them.'
ales players stand for the national anthem prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match with the USA
England's players stand during the national anthem before the start of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match with Iran
Bale will make his own history by becoming his country's most capped men's footballer against Iran.
The 33-year-old captain - who made his debut in 2006 and is Wales' record scorer with 41 goals - will win his 110th cap against Iran.
It will see him overtake Chris Gunter, who will be among the substitutes for Friday's encounter, and move him into top spot in his own right.
Bale said: 'I haven't really been focusing on the cap thing to be honest, just trying to focus on the game.
'On a personal level it's an amazing achievement, it's an
