Qatar 2022 Organisers Confident of Hosting World Cup on Any Date

Qatar 2022 organisers have revealed they are ready to host the 2022 football World Cup in the summer, or another time, ahead of a FIFA meeting to discuss the date of the tournament.

“We bid for the FIFA World Cup in the summer because we saw the opportunity to present solutions for players and fans in our country, and others with similar climates, to enjoy the outdoors in cool, safe and comfortable conditions in the summer months,” said the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee in a statement.

“We committed significant time and resources toward proving that we could host the tournament in summer in cool, comfortable and safe conditions.

“If the international football community reaches a consensus to move the event to an alternate date, we are able to accommodate that change. This would not affect our planning and preparation,” it added.

FIFA are set to meet on Thursday to discuss that will discuss whether to move the 2022 World Cup in Qatar from the traditional summer dates.

Qatar was awarded the right to host the 2022 tournament in 2010, but FIFA, UEFA and footballers’ union FIFPro have since called for it to be moved to a different time of year.

However, proposals to change the date of the tournament have met with opposition from leading European clubs, who are concerned about disruption to their traditional calendars.

Officials from Asian and African confederations also said Thursday they have not yet talked formally about Blatter’s proposed switch.

“We haven’t had that discussion in (Africa),” FIFA board member Hany Abo Rida of Egypt told The Associated Press. “We’re waiting to hear the explanation from the FIFA executive.”