MARRAKECH, Morocco -- FIFA says the 2018 World Cup final will be played on Sunday, July 15.
Confirming the tournament dates on Friday, the FIFA executive committee agreed that the opening match will be played on a Thursday, June 14.
Meanwhile, FIFA also agreed on Friday that a final decision on the timing of the 2022 World Cup will be taken in March of next year. The November-December 2022 time-frame remains the most likely time in order to avoid the extreme heat of the summer.
The 2018 World Cup officially kicks off next March, with the first of more than 800 qualifying games. FIFA says it agreed that some preliminary-round matches will start then in the Asian and CONCACAF regions.
The main qualifying fixtures and groups will be drawn next July 25 in St. Petersburg.
FIFA also confirmed the June 17-July 2 dates for the 2017 Confederations Cup warm-up tournament.
The last meeting of the task force looking at the dates for 2022 will take place in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 23.
The executive committee also supported the creation of an independent body to oversee a programme to improve workers' rights in Qatar.
Meanwhile, new rules banning third-party ownership of players will come into force on May 1 next year, though existing agreements will be permitted until a player's contract expires.
In other decisions, the ExCo agreed to scrap the age limit of 45 for referees -- officials instead will have to take an annual fitness test.
A FIFA statement said: "The executive committee... approved the proposal from the referees committee that every FIFA referee over the age of 45 shall be carefully evaluated by the referees committee every year according to technical assessments, medical examinations and fitness tests."
Meanwhile, prize money for the women's World Cup will rise by 50 percent, from $10 million in 2011 to $15 million in 2015, with $2 million going to the winning team.
Information from The Associated Press and Press Association was used in this report.