The First Ever Winter World Cup?
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:15 pmQuite interesting that the Qatar 2022 WC could be played in the winter, obviously not as we know it but it would have an affect on all the league's that year. Currently, there are many nations that have a long break during this period, especially the snowy cold place's, and some of the Western European countries have their annual 2 weeks off. I'm just wondering if this is the fore-runner to the WC moving the goal posts and making all other leagues fall-in behind them, basically putting a 6 week break in the footballing calendar, as and when they want?
Would it work?
Taken from the Beeb:
Another interesting thing in there was that Qatar got the nod in the first round of voting. That is a lot of votes for such a strange venue, especially considering how much of a leagcy it would leave behind.
Would it work?
Taken from the Beeb:
Former Asian official urges Fifa to move 2022 World Cup
The Asian Football Confederation's former general secretary has urged Fifa to move the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to January to avoid the summer heat.
Peter Velappan said temperatures reaching 40C during the desert state's summer months pose a danger to players.
Velappan added that plans to cool stadiums and training grounds with air conditioners were "not a solution".
He also warned that some European countries may boycott the tournament due to concerns over the heat.
"Qatar is a nice country but there is no way football can be played in June and July there. No player will ever want to play in these conditions," said Velappan.
It has never been said by the bid team that the tournament would be staged in January
"I would strongly recommend that Fifa reschedule the tournament to January, February. Fifa is obliged to do everything possible to provide the best for the teams and the football fans."
Velappan's comments echoed those made by Fifa executive committee member Franz Beckenbauer, who earlier this month suggested making a one-time change to the European league schedules to allow the 2022 World Cup to be played in winter.
However, throughout Qatar's bid for the World Cup, AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam - a native of the desert state - downplayed the hot temperatures.
In addition, public relations expert Mike Lee, who played a significant role in Qatar's victorious 2022 bid, said that rescheduling the tournament was never a part of their proposal.
"It has never been said by the bid team that the tournament would be staged in January," Lee told BBC 5Live's Sportsweek on Sunday. "It was never a discussion during the course of the bid.
"It will be in the traditional window. That is what has been proposed in the bid book and what the campaign has been based on."
Lee also praised the work being done in Qatar to provide the appropriate facilities for the tournament.
"If you look at what Qatar did in the campaign, it is there, it works in terms of open, air cooled stadiums, and it is now solar powered," he said.
"We have provided solutions in a bid book and made the argument publically but there is also real development work going on.
"Qatar is a place that is changing very quickly, it has amazing resources. I've been there three years and seen so much change already. In the next 12 years it will be unrecognisable."
FA general secretary Alex Horne believed that it would be possible to stage the 2022 World Cup in January.
"I think it would be possible in 12 years' time to hold the World Cup in January," Horne told Sportsweek. "It might just be preferable to subjecting fans and athletes to 50C heat in training and preparation and then games.
"It is 12 years away and during that we have time to have a serious conversation about it. I'm not sure how you do it and it is terribly difficult with regard to the various calendars, but we have 12 years to think about it."
Qatar obtained an outright majority of 14 in the fourth round of voting for 2022 after a secret ballot of Fifa's 22 executive members in Zurich on 2 December.
Another interesting thing in there was that Qatar got the nod in the first round of voting. That is a lot of votes for such a strange venue, especially considering how much of a leagcy it would leave behind.
