FIFA Delay Qatar 2022 World Cup Decision Until 2015

Football’s governing body FIFA have delayed making a decision on moving the Qatar World Cup to winter until 2015, they announced during a two-day meeting in Zurich.

The world governing body’s executive committee held the meeting in Zurich to debate the proposal to shift the 2022 showpiece from the summer months to avoid the extreme heat.

But, with president Sepp Blatter keen on a consultation period before confirming a switch that has extensive domestic ramifications, officials have agreed to first set up an investigating body.

The commission, announced by Blatter at a press conference in Zurich on Friday, will draw members from across the game but is not expected to rule on the proposition until 2015.

Blatter said: “The FIFA World Cup 2022 will be played in Qatar. There you have it.

“We have decided we are going to carry out consultations. These will include all the participants in the World Cup and stakeholders including players, clubs, leagues, national associations confederations and FIFA.

“There are also economic partners involved be they from marketing, the media and television and we need to bear in mind our obligations to these partners.

“We need to carry out very deep consultations and investigations and show some diplomacy and wisdom.”

Qatar organisers insist special cooling technology means they can hold the event any time of the year but stifling temperatures outside the stadia remain a worry and UEFA’s 54 member associations last month agreed to a move in principle.

Wokers Mistreatment to be Investigated

Also the executive committee discussed an investigation into the mistreatment of migrant workers in Qatar, and Blatter confirmed he would visit the Middle Eastern country to raise his concerns in person.

“I will go with a delegation in the name of the ExCo of FIFA for a courtesy visit but it is also a visit to confirm the World Cup 2022,” he added.

“But I will also touch on this concern, which concerns many people in the world, and that is the working conditions in that country, but we can’t be the ones who can change it.

“It is a responsibility not only for Qatar but the construction companies, and there are many European companies working there. We cannot turn a blind eye but we cannot make a direct intervention – but the Qatar government have confirmed they will do so.”

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