UEFA members say 'impossible' to have summer 2022 World Cup

LONDON - Reuters

Image dated Sept. 14, 2010 and made available by Qatar 2022, shows a showcase stadium with cooling technology in Doha, Qatar. AP Photo

European football federations have agreed it would be “impossible” to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in summer as planned and a task force will be set up to find an alternative.

“Obviously there are certain reservations regarding the World Cup in Qatar but everyone agrees that it would be impossible to play in the severe heat of Qatar in the summer,” FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce told Sky television.

“It is very important that we get this right,” he added, speaking in a phone interview after a meeting of the 54 European football federations in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

“They all agree that to play the World Cup, to take thousands of fans to the biggest sporting event in the middle of summer would be impossible.”

Football’s governing body is expected to agree in principle to the switch at its next executive committee meeting in October.

“It is very important that we get this right,” added Boyce.

“I think what will happen is that they will probably agree for everyone, including the people in Qatar of course, to sit round a table and come up with a solution.

One-off decision

“What has happened has happened. It is in Qatar and at the end of the day what has to happen here is that the best interests of football are sorted out and I am confident that will happen. It is purely a one-off.”

Last week, the association representing European clubs said they would not be opposed to a re-scheduling of the tournament but added they wanted to be consulted about the new timing.

Qatar has said, despite the searing temperatures, it can stage the World Cup in the summer by building air-conditioned stadiums using newly environmentally-friendly technology. Stadiums would be cooled to around 28 Celsius.

However, there are still worries about how fans will deal with the heat away from the stadiums.

In recent interviews, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said that his organisation had never specially stated that the World Cup had to be held in summer when it awarded the hosting of the tournament in 2010.

His comments came after suggestions that the other countries bidding for the tournament could take legal action, or call for a re-vote, if the timing of the tournament was changed.