England begin their quest for success at the 2022 World Cup when they face Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the major talking points ahead of the Group B opener.
Arm-banned?
While no agreement had been struck with FIFA to wear the anti-discrimination band, England were prepared to face fines for allowing skipper Harry Kane to do so.
However, with FIFA since launching its own equivalent and the suggestion players wearing the non-sanctioned version could face yellow cards in matches, discussions will continue between FIFA and the Football Association to find a solution.
First night nerves
A draw against the United States in South Africa in 2010 means the Three Lions do not exactly come flying out of the traps at World Cups.
They will want to change that in a tough test against Iran – ranked 20th in the world – and lay down a marker for the tournament.
Tried and tested
Heading out for our MD-1 session ? pic.twitter.com/RqhnuvXnkZ
— England (@England) November 20, 2022
Southgate’s starting line-up against Iran could feature as many as six players who were also in the line-up that lost the semi-final to Croatia in 2018.
In fact, this squad is the second-most experienced in terms of caps of any selected for a World Cup by England.
That shows the faith and loyalty that Southgate shows in his trusted players but also the collective experience that could not only bode well against Iran but across the tournament.
The heat is on
London, for example, is forecast to have highs of nine degrees on Monday while the mercury will hit 27 at times in Qatar.
England have certainly been attempting to acclimatise, holding a number of their training sessions in the midday sun to minimise any surprises.
Tough crowd
However, they are likely to be outnumbered by their Iranian counterparts, who have made a much shorter journey.
With just the Arabian Gulf separating Iran and Qatar, it is expected that Carlos Queiroz’s side will be cheered on by vociferous support and it will be up to England to silence them from the off.