Why the 2022 World Cup is different

Every World Cup brings something unique to the table. From the stadiums to the fans to the culture, the host country makes each World Cup a completely unique event. 

That being said, 2022 is truly a once-in-a-lifetime tournament. It is the first tournament to be hosted in an Arab country. It is also the first tournament to be held in the winter, unlike the traditional summer timeline for every other World Cup.  

How both of those firsts will ultimately be remembered will be determined in the weeks to come, but for now, they are worth mentioning as unique cultural elements that this World Cup will feature. 

What are the most common languages being spoken at the 2022 World Cup

Of the 23 total official languages represented at the World Cup, 7 of them are spoken in multiple countries. English is the most common, being listed as an official language of 9 countries competing in the World Cup. On top of being an official language, English is also a recognized language in nearly every country.

After English, French is the next most common language, followed by Spanish, Arabic, German, Dutch and Portuguese as the official languages of multiple countries in the World Cup.

English

9

French

7

Spanish

6

Arabic

4

German

3

Dutch

2

Portuguese

2

What are the least common languages being spoken at the 2022 World Cup

While there are definitely a lot of languages that are spoken in multiple countries, there are even more languages that are unique to a specific country. In fact, there are 16 languages at the World Cup that are only official in one country.

Of those 16, eight of them are regional languages that are generally not spoken outside of the country, including Amerindian, West Frisian, Limburgish, Welsh, Faroese, Greenlandic, Berber and Romansh.

Languages only spoken in one country:

  • Amerindian languages
  • West Frisian
  • Limburgish
  • Persian
  • Azerbaijani
  • Welsh
  • Polish
  • Faroese
  • Greenlandic
  • Japanese
  • Berber
  • Croatian
  • Serbian
  • Italian
  • Romansh
  • Korean

What are the official languages for each country/region

Every country lists official languages. These are recognized as the languages spoken in that country by most of the population. These official languages generally do not include regional dialects used by small populations but are more focused on the overall population and what languages are spoken most often.

Country/Region Official language(s)
Qatar (host nation) Arabic, English
Ecuador Spanish, Amerindian languages
Senegal French
Netherlands Dutch, West Frisian, Limburgish
England English
Iran Persian, Azerbaijani
USA English
Wales English, Welsh
Argentina Spanish
Saudi Arabia Arabic
Mexico Spanish
Poland Polish
France French
Australia English
Denmark Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic
Tunisia Arabic, French
Spain Spanish
Costa Rica Spanish
Germany German
Japan Japanese, English
Belgium Dutch, French, German
Canada English, French
Morocco Arabic, Berber
Croatia Croatian
Brazil Portuguese
Serbia Serbian
Switzerland German, French, Italian, Romansh
Cameroon English, French
Portugal Portuguese
Ghana English
Uruguay Spanish
Korea Republic Korean

Fun language facts to know before the 2022 World Cup

Which player speaks the most languages at the World Cup?

Romelu Lukaku is the winner when it comes to speaking the most languages, being conversational in 9 different languages. The Belgium forward grew up speaking French and Flemish, but also speaks English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian and Lingala.

Which country has the most official languages?

Switzerland is the most diverse in terms of the number of official languages, with 4 different languages listed. German, French, Italian and Romansh are all recognized as official languages on the country.

So, there you have it; the complete guide to all the different languages that will be spoken in Qatar at the World Cup. Just imagine the poor referees who could be dealing with players speaking 4 or 5 different languages on the field.