Premier League Chief Claims Winter World Cup ‘nigh-on impossible’

August 15, 2013

Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League, has said that moving the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to the European winter months would be “nigh-on impossible”.

Qatar was named the host of the 2022 tournament in December 2010, though that decision has been mired in controversy ever since. 

The temperatures in the Middle-East nation can top 50 degrees celsius in the summer, which would pose a considerable health risk.

If the tournament were to move to winter, it would clash with the traditional European football season. The Premier League would be likely to suffer the most impact to its calendar, as it does not have a winter break.

Scudamore said: “At the end of the day, FIFA made a decision which is for none of us to comment on.

“They decided the World Cup will be in the summer in Qatar.

“Our view is, if that is deemed not possible by FIFA, they need to move the location. We can’t just, on a whim, decide to move to the winter.

“It’s extremely difficult, nigh-on impossible in our view.”

The Premier League chief added: “Where they award the World Cup to is a FIFA executive committee decision and not our business. But the international football calendar has to be consulted, FIFA can’t just decide. There’s a whole series of complications and consultation has to be separate with leagues on a global basis, to make sure it works for everyone before a decision is made.”