FIFA confirm Qatar World Cup dates move, between November and July

The World Cup is traditionally played during the summer when the European Leagues are on break from their season. With the 2022 World Cup being played in Qatar, there has been some questions and suggestions surrounding the heat and possibly moving the World Cup to the winter to make it less taxing on the players.

There has been no official announcement yet but FIFA president Sepp Blatter said it would be impractical to hold the 2022 finals during a Middle East summer. During an interview with Radio France, FIFA’s general secretary Jerome Valcke confirmed the tournament would be moved from its traditional slot. He also said that there is no new date set yet.

“The dates for the World Cup (in Qatar) will not be June-July. To be honest, I think it will be held between November 15 and January 15 at the latest,” Valcke said, via FOX Soccer.

“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.”

Aside from the logistical problems it creates for the leagues, who’d be sending players mid season to compete like the NHL does with the Winter Olympics, it is bound to have an impact on broadcasting. FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce told Sky Sports News that an official decision could come “at the very earliest, the end of 2014”.

“This has to be a decision that’s made by the executive committee of FIFA. I’m totally surprised by what I’ve heard this morning. The situation as I’m aware was that at the FIFA executive committee would await a report set up by all the stakeholders involved…and there would be no further discussions before the December executive meeting.

“Whether Jerome was expressing a personal opinion, I don’t know, but this has not been discussed by the executive committee.”