England FA chairman Greg Dyke has called for the 2022 Qatar World Cup to be moved to the winter or reassigned.
FIFA’s decision to award the tournament to Qatar in the height of summer, when temperatures hit 50 degrees Centigrade, has raised numerous question marks.
Pressure is growing to move the competition to winter for the safety of the players and crowds.
Now England Football Association chairman Dyke has joined those asking FIFA to reconsider their plans.
England FA chairman Greg Dyke has called for the 2022 Qatar World Cup to be moved to the winter or reassigned.
FIFA’s decision to award the tournament to Qatar in the height of summer, when temperatures hit 50 degrees Centigrade, has raised numerous question marks.
Pressure is growing to move the competition to winter for the safety of the players and crowds.
Now England Football Association chairman Dyke has joined those asking FIFA to reconsider their plans.
“I don’t know how many people have been to Qatar in June. I have. The one thing I can tell you is you can’t play a football tournament," said Dyke.
“Even if all the stadia are air-conditioned – which seems a bit strange in terms of the green policy – it would be impossible for the fans. Just go out there, wander around in that sort of heat. The FA’s position will be you can't play it in summer in Qatar.
“FIFA therefore has two choices: you either move it in time or to another location. I suspect either ends up in some sort of litigation, but then someone should have worked that out in 2010 when it was awarded.”
Even FIFA President Sepp Blatter admitted a move to winter is likely, but the Premier League and Bundesliga have been most vocal in their opposition to this change.
Australia and the USA lost out to Qatar in the vote back in 2010, so could attempt to offer their services instead.