FIFA begins meeting to decide 2022 World Cup dates

FIFA's executive committee began a two-day meeting on Thursday where they were expected to decide the dates for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, ending a saga that has lasted for more than four years.

The committee is expected to ratify a recommendation from a FIFA task force to stage the tournament in November and December to avoid the searing summer temperatures in the Gulf state, with an announcement to be made on Friday.

Qatar were awarded the 2022 finals in December 2010 on the basis it would take place in the summer in air-conditioned stadiums.

[2022 World Cup final no later than Dec. 18, says Blatter]

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But within days Franz Beckenbauer, an executive committee member at the time, and UEFA president Michel Platini suggested a winter World Cup would be possible.

Despite worries from powerful European clubs, the idea gained momentum and world soccer's ruling body FIFA set up its task force in September 2013 to decide when the finals should take place.

At its third and last meeting in February the task force agreed November and December would be the most suitable months and recommended that it be shortened by a few days, giving teams less recovery time between matches.

Qatar World Cup (Reuters)

Image credit: Reuters

The decision has set FIFA on a collision course with the European clubs who had suggested staging the tournament in May.

The European Clubs Association (ECA), which represents more than 200 teams, said it would demand compensation for having to alter the domestic season.

Platini, president of European soccer's ruling body, was unsympathetic however.

"There are many leagues, many players, many clubs. When it is winter it is summer in other parts of the world," he said.

"I always said it will be a winter World Cup. I always said I'll vote for Qatar but do my best for winter. I am totally coherent with what I said four years ago. I vote for what I am convinced is good for football."

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