FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has confirmed that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will not be held in June and July.
Ever since the Arab state was announced as the host for the tournament in December 2010, debate has raged about the weather conditions in the country.
The people in charge of the Qatar bid insisted that state-of-the-art air conditioning would mean that players and fans could enjoy a summer World Cup in safety.
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has confirmed that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will not be held in June and July.
Ever since the Arab state was announced as the host for the tournament in December 2010, debate has raged about the weather conditions in the country.
The people in charge of the Qatar bid insisted that state-of-the-art air conditioning would mean that players and fans could enjoy a summer World Cup in safety.
However, the FIFA secretary has today revealed that it is too dangerous to play in the tournament’s traditional months, and will have to be rearranged for between November and January.
"The dates for the World Cup [in Qatar] will not be June-July,” he said.
“To be honest, I think it will be held between November 15 and January 15 at the latest.
"If you play between November 15 and the end of December that's the time when the weather conditions are best, when you can play in temperatures equivalent to a warm spring season in Europe, averaging 25 degrees. That would be perfect for playing football."
This news will have a profound effect on how Leagues all around Europe are scheduled.