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Valcke says winter World Cup in 2022 is possible
Source: Agencies |
December 17, 2010, Friday
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FIFA'S General Secretary Jerome Valcke is open to the idea of staging the 2022 World Cup in Qatar during the winter, but he said there are plenty of logistical problems to overcome before a schedule change can be made.
Valcke, attending the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, said yesterday that switching the schedule would make it possible for a wider range of countries to bid for the World Cup, which traditionally takes places in June and July, in the future.
"Why not? It means you open the World Cup to countries where they can never play it in June and July because it's never the right period of time," Valcke said. "If you can do so, it would be a solution to open the organization of the World Cup to a number of countries in this period which is winter in Europe but not winter in the rest of the world."
Still, he said it is "not so easy" to stage a winter World Cup since it would require changing the international calendar, including possibly the year before and after the 2022 tournament, and getting the support of domestic leagues and national federations. "You can't just make a decision to move the tournament and that is it," he said. "It means you have to change completely when the leagues will play, mainly I would say in Europe. It's less difficult in the rest of the world."
Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup this month despite fears that temperatures exceeding 40 Celsius pose a serious health risk to players and fans. Soon after it beat out the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea for the bidding rights, football executives started suggesting that it might be better move the 2022 tournament to January when it is much cooler in Qatar.
Valcke, attending the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, said yesterday that switching the schedule would make it possible for a wider range of countries to bid for the World Cup, which traditionally takes places in June and July, in the future.
"Why not? It means you open the World Cup to countries where they can never play it in June and July because it's never the right period of time," Valcke said. "If you can do so, it would be a solution to open the organization of the World Cup to a number of countries in this period which is winter in Europe but not winter in the rest of the world."
Still, he said it is "not so easy" to stage a winter World Cup since it would require changing the international calendar, including possibly the year before and after the 2022 tournament, and getting the support of domestic leagues and national federations. "You can't just make a decision to move the tournament and that is it," he said. "It means you have to change completely when the leagues will play, mainly I would say in Europe. It's less difficult in the rest of the world."
Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup this month despite fears that temperatures exceeding 40 Celsius pose a serious health risk to players and fans. Soon after it beat out the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea for the bidding rights, football executives started suggesting that it might be better move the 2022 tournament to January when it is much cooler in Qatar.
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