Qatar Will Consider 2022 Winter World Cup if Asked

The Qatar Football Association president Hamad ben Khalifa ben Ahmed Al-Thani has suggested the country would consider making the 2022 World Cup a winter tournament if it was asked officially.

With summer temperatures in the Persian Gulf state soaring above 50°C, fears world football’s showpiece occasion would be ruined by the searing heat have led to calls to change its traditional June-July slot.

UEFA President Michel Platini visited Dubai last week and claimed “the best period” to stage it would be November and December, a suggestion the organisers are willing to take on board.

“When our bid was selected by FIFA, everyone knew the World Cup was due to be played in June and July,” QFA president Hamad ben Khalifa ben Ahmed Al-Thani toldL’Equipe. “It’s true, though, that the tournament is about more than just Qatar. It’s universal. If FIFA and UEFA, notably, want to propose other dates, we have strong reasons to study that suggestion.

“For the moment, we’re going ahead with the plan that it’ll be held in the summer. We respect Michel Platini’s opinion, but it’s only an opinion as FIFA have not sent us an official request to study as yet.”

Platini also suggested the state, which numbers fewer than two million people, may share the tournament with its neighbours, just as the 2002 World Cup was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea. Al-Thani, however, ruled out such a move.

“In the agreement we signed with FIFA, it states only one country shall host the tournament. There’s no question of sharing it with two or three countries. The idea of a competition spread around the Gulf is not a bad idea in itself. But I can confirm: Qatar will be the sole host of the 2022 World Cup.”