When FIFA voted to hold the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it was promoted as “bringing football to a new world and a new culture” as well as bringing the World Cup to the “entire Middle East.” And now, it seems that sentiment might be taken quite literally by the game’s governing bodies as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar may very well change the way have ever held the tournament before…
World Cup 2022: Qatar & Friends
With numerous media outlets focusing on the size of Qatar – and their ability to credibly host such a large event in such a small space – FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, has offered one of his famous ideas…
Get the neighbors involved! Inspired by Australia’s proposal, which suggested that some matches could be held in nearby New Zealand. However, he failed to mention any concrete suggestions of countries who could share the burden with Qatar.
Australia, in its candidacy bid, proposed to give several matches to New Zealand. I think it could be the same in Qatar and that some matches could take place in nearby countries.
- Sepp Blatter, L’Equipe
This suggestion, Blatter mentioned, would help fulfill FIFA’s ambition to expand access for fans across the globe.
With Qatar, we are opening football to a new world and a new culture. The Arab world, which has tried several times — with Morocco or Egypt for example — to host the World Cup, could legitimately lay claim to hosting this.
- Sepp Blatter, L’Equipe
Qatar 2022: Winter Games
But the size of the country isn’t the only issue that Qatar is having to defend itself against since winning the bid to host the games in 2022. The weather – and the health dangers it potentially poses to players and fans – has also received attention in the press.
Extreme temperatures? What about all those cool, high-tech plans in the Qatar proposal to air condition all the stadiums? Well, it turns out that – in the words of Asian Football Confederation General Secretary, Peter Velappan – is “not a solution.”
And the extreme heat – which tops 104 degrees – could potentially deter nations from participating. The threat of European nations boycotting the tournament is not exactly a great way for the international football community to embrace football’s newest frontier…so now the game’s international bodies are putting on their best thinking caps to troubleshoot the issue…
Franz Beckenbauer, who sits on FIFA’s executive committee, said earlier this month that making a one-time change to the European league to allow the World Cup to be played in winter in Qatar was a cheaper solution than air-conditioning all stadiums.
UEFA President, Michel Platini, has suggested that he would be comfortable with a proposal to shift the 2022 World Cup to winter instead of its traditional time in the summer to avoid extreme temperatures.
It’s true that if we talk about the World Cup in the Gulf in January, that would be easier than to play in June. On that I agree, and why not? It’s possible.
- Michel Platini
Why not? Well, just off the top of my head there are a few reasons: Champions League, Europa League, EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga…
Oh, those minor competitions? Those can be addressed later..after all we have 12 years!
How much rest time will we give to the players after the World Cup? If we play in January, well, will it be a February off and then we start again in March?
We will discuss this heavily in the months and years to come.
- Michel Platini
But, even if the games are held in the summer, Platini doesn’t think the criticism about weather holds much weight….especially when it comes from those arguing in favor of a US proposal!
The temperature in Dallas was [113 degrees], if I’m not mistaken, in 1994 and nobody criticized the U.S. at the time.
- Michel Platini
Platini also indicated his support for FIFA’s decision to grant Qatar the tournament and making the international community more inclusive of nations and fans outside of football’s traditional strongholds.
Maybe, it would be a World Cup for the entire Gulf
- Michel Platini
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