European clubs set to agree to winter 2022 World Cup switch

FIFA announce that Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup (Getty Images)

Europe’s biggest clubs are set to accept that the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be played in winter, as opposed to the norm where the tournament is played in the close season in the summer, according to a Sky Sports report.

The European Clubs’ Association (ECA), however, say that the change should be a one-off, with all future tournaments in the summer.

The organisation’s senior vice-president Umberto Gandini says moving the tournament says that moving the tournament to the winter is “almost inevitable” in order to avoid the blistering heat, which can reach 50 degrees Celsius in the summer in Qatar.

The Premier League is still vehemently opposed to a move, as it remains one of the major leagues in Europe without a winter break, but looks more and more isolated in its stance as FA chairman Greg Dykes said he favoured a switch to winter.

FIFA will make a decision on the matter next month as FIFA president Sepp Blatter calls for European clubs and leagues to be more flexible and expand the range of countries who can host the World Cup.

The ECA is likely to lend its support for the winter switch on the condition that it is a one-off.

Gandini said: “We have many individual opinions and league opinions, we do not have any ECA position yet as we will discuss this at the general assembly.

“Everything now is going to be moved by the FIFA executive committee decision in October.

“I have a personal opinion that it is almost inevitable. We will have to find a solution because it is very unlikely that you can play the World Cup in Qatar in the summer.

“Or maybe you can play it then but it will be impossible for fans to follow it so something will need to be addressed.

“Now it is a matter of studying the possible solutions and we will have to do it. I think it’s important it’s going to be a one-off and is not going to be something that’s going to be there for ever.

“If we have to find a one-off solution I think we will be able within the football family to find it but everybody has to be properly involved and we have to consider which is the best solution for football and the fans.”