Wednesday, January 8, 2014

World Cup will be played between November and January in Qatar: Report

FIFA's secretary general has stated that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar "will not be in June or July."

Jerome Valcke, who had been given the task of looking at alternative dates due to the oppressive heat of the summer in Qatar, said it is likely to be held in the winter months sometime between November 15 and January 15.

Valcke told France Inter Radio: "It will not be in June or July. Frankly I think it'll be played between November 15 and January 15 at the latest.

"If you play between November 15 and the end of the year that's when the weather is at its most favorable."

Valcke suggested it will be "like a warm spring in Europe" with "an average temperature of 25 degrees (77℉), therefore it's perfect for football."



In October, FIFA delayed making a decision on whether to play the tournament in the winter saying it was setting up a consultation process to decide when the finals should be held.

At the time, the world governing body announced it would reach a conclusion sometime after this year's World Cup in Brazil.



Valcke's surprise announcement on Wednesday comes more than three years after Qatar was originally awarded the tournament in December 2010, although his statement is still likely to need ratification by FIFA's executive committee.

The average temperature in the summer months in Qatar can be anywhere between 95℉ and 113℉.

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