AFP
Doha
A FIFA task force meets in Qatar today to try to set dates for the 2022 World Cup - with a groundbreaking winter tournament likely.
Officials from football’s global governing body, top leagues and players’ representatives will be attending the meeting.
A November-December tournament is considered favourite, but the task force will make a recommendation to FIFA whose executive committee will decide on March 19-20 in Zurich.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said last month that the 2022 World Cup “will not be in June or July”.
But the dates are still disputed, especially by Europe’s powerful leagues.
If the World Cup is to be played in November, players and fans would enjoy temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit), similar to conditions played in recent World Cups.
But an alternative date will be offered today by the European Club Association (ECA), which represents the continent’s major teams such as Real Madrid and Manchester United. It wants the tournament played in May and June 2022, so that the multi-billion dollar domestic leagues and Champions League trophy are not disturbed.
The clubs are likely to be unsuccessful as European football’s governing body, UEFA, has already accepted a switch to winter.
The final decision must also seek to avoid a clash with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the 2022 Winter Olympics will be in January or February.
IOC leader Thomas Bach says “signals” sent by FIFA indicate the two events will not be held at the same time.
Qatar has a double interest as it has said it would like to host the Summer Olympics in the near future, making it more likely no one in the Gulf will want to annoy the IOC.
Outside the Olympics, a tournament in November and December would clash with the NFL and NBA seasons in the United States.
And there is also the question of broadcasters who bid for the 2022 tournament on the basis it would be held in a northern hemisphere summer, but will now have to change their schedules.
Sitting somewhat in the sidelines today will be Qatar’s World Cup committee.
Officials say they will attend the meeting on an observer basis only. Qatar has said it is happy to host the World Cup on whichever date FIFA finally chooses.
Qatar is developing air cooling technology to help players and fans if there is a summer tournament.
May still on the table, say European clubs
European clubs are still hopeful of persuading FIFA to stage the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in May rather than in the winter, according to a Reuters report yesterday. The European Clubs’ Association (ECA) said they believed that May was still on the table. “Our position remains unchanged really,” an ECA spokesman told Reuters. “We have elaborated a proposal with EPFL (the Association of European Professional Leagues), which our representatives will present to the FIFA task force (meeting in Doha today). We want it to be seriously discussed. “We are surprised by the reports claiming that there is an agreement. We are not aware.”
