UK & World News
- 3 March 2013, 14:49
World Cup 2022 Could Be Moved To Winter, Fifa
A senior Fifa official has admitted for the first time that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could be moved to winter.
The finals were awarded by the world governing body in 2010 and are due to be held in the summer months when the temperature can reach more than 40 degrees Celsius.
European football boss Michel Platini has repeatedly said the competition needs to be held in winter, when the average is a far less intense 17 degrees.
Now Fifa's general secretary Jerome Valcke has become the first senior official to say the event could be moved if strong medical advice is received to support it.
Speaking at the meeting of the International Football Association Board - which governs the laws of football - he said: "Maybe the Fifa Exco (executive committee) will say based on medical reports or whatever: 'We really have to look at playing the World Cup not in summer but in winter'."
Qatar's winning bid caused a major stir in world football with critics arguing it would be impossible to freeze football leagues for a World Cup in December or January.
However, Mr Valcke believes that the timeframe for any decision could be extended to 2015.
"I am not saying that the case is closed but what I'm saying is as long as we have not fixed the international calendar all alternatives are open," he said.
"I can tell you there is no working group within Fifa thinking and working on what it means to move the World Cup from summer to winter for the time being.
"The international calendar has been agreed for 2015 to 2018, meaning that we kept open all potential for the period 2019 to 2022. We have time."
Update:
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what do you think?
executecodered
Blatter's only concern is his own legacy; being the guy responsible for bringing the World Cup to new continents. Encouraging multi-million pound hosting bids from countries that never even had a chance of winning as it was already predetermined that Qatar (& Russia in 2018) would receive the tournament. The guy's an underhanded, UK hating snake. Russia's a logistical nightmare that doesn't have the travel infrastructure to facilitate a successful tournament, & as already mentioned, Qatar is just about the money, it'll be interesting to see them try & negotiate this one with the top European leagues.
gunit1969
Everyone knew it's about 50 degrees in the summer but the money offered made the decision for FIFA. Most of the european leagues have a month off in winter anyway so perhaps just western europe will be forced into temporary league shutdown. SAying that we may not even qualify for the tournament anyway !!)
davenlesley
G69. Probably right but the premier lge is full of players from countries who will
ali baba
hold it in Tehran instead
Eric Clutterbean
they could shorten the pitch and play 15 minutes each half, ban any running with the ball and play them at 3 am and allow the crowd to spray cold water at them mr blatter
davenlesley
10:59am on 3/3/2013
This is a problem all of FIFAs own making but money, political pressure and backhanders are all powerful bargaining tools. It was a short sighted decision which now looks likely to disrupt the football leagues of Europe whose season spans the winter. That is if the Bundesliga, Seria A, La Liga & the Premier league dont just tell them to get lost.
Baker101
11:49am on 3/3/2013
Yep, a total lack of thought and planning. Qatar doesn't have anything to offer football except money, which it seems is all that counts these days. They won't even keep the stadiums after they're done with them, so there won't be a legacy to get their own youths to take up football.