Premier League: winter World Cup is 'not workable'
Fifa want to move the 2022 tournament in Qatar to avoid the summer heat
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Premier League today blasted proposals to move the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to the winter as “neither workable nor desirable” as FIFA announced a decision on the matter will be taken in October.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter yesterday confronted the issue of playing in the searing June heat of Qatar by stating he believed it could not take place in the summer.
The world governing body said the issue will go to FIFA's executive committee meeting on October 3 and 4.
The Premier League has long opposed any such move on the grounds it will cause major disruption to three domestic seasons - the 2021/22 campaign and the ones either side - as well as impacting on broadcasting contracts.
A Premier League spokesman told Press Association Sport: "The Premier League position remains unchanged. The prospect of a winter World Cup is neither workable nor desirable for European domestic football."
FIFA's executive committee will meet in Zurich for a decision on the issue.
A FIFA spokesman said: "As mentioned by the FIFA president yesterday, he will bring forward the matter of playing the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in winter to the FIFA executive committee on the occasion of their next meeting scheduled for October 3 and 4, 2013.
"This matter will now be with the executive committee and we can therefore not comment further before the meeting has taken place."
Blatter has been moving towards the idea of a winter World Cup for several months, and said yesterday: "If this World Cup is to become a party for the people, you can't play football in the summer. You can cool down the stadiums, but you can't cool down the whole country."
FIFA confirmed a decision on the winter World Cup could be taken at October's meeting, however it is also possible that the committee may ask for more information before taking a final decision.
PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments