Fifa will not take decision on switching Qatar tournament to winter until after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil

Uncertainty over the 2022 tournament set to continue as task force is set up

Jack de Menezes
Friday 04 October 2013 20:10 BST
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Fifa has confirmed its first steps towards addressing the 2022 Qatar World Cup after the executive committee agreed to set up a task force aimed at looking into moving the tournament.

The meeting, held at the governing body’s headquarters in Zurich, ended this morning with the announcement that they will create the commission. Members will be drawn from across the game and given the aim to represent all the major stakeholders when looking at the tournament, although they will not make any decision until 2015 at the earliest.

It is believed that there was no discussion at the meeting over who would head the commission or those members involved on it, but that the body’s administration would draw up a list of suitable candidates to put forward and give a fair representation from across the game.

One member expected to be put forward for recommendation is Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

Michel D'Hooghe, who represents Belgium as a Fifa member, said: "At the earliest in 2015. We need some concrete information - this will not be done in two days.

"We have to look together with our marketing and broadcast partners.

"Don't expect any decision from the commission before the World Cup in Brazil.

"We have two World Cups before Qatar where we also have concerns."

The debate has raged on since Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup over whether the tournament should be moved to winter due to the searing 42-degree-plus heat experienced during the summer, with temperatures barely dropping below 30-degrees at night.

Those conditions would make watching matches considerably uncomfortable from the stands, let alone taking part in the games, and it is widely expected that it will eventually be confirmed that a winter World Cup would be more appropriate.

However, Qatar organisers have claimed that they can hold the tournament at any time of the year, with suggestions that they can use cooling systems within the stadiums to regulate and maintain an appropriate playing temperature.

All 54 of Uefa’s member associations agreed to move the tournament in principle, although there is likely to be disputes over when the rescheduling should be. Both the Premier League and Fifa favour a November/December event to avoid a clash with the busy Christmas fixture programme and the Winter Olympics, although Uefa president Michel Platini wants a January date to avoid any disruption to the Champions League.

The meeting was also used as a chance to discuss the investigation into the mistreatment of migrant workers building the stadiums in the Arab State, where reports emerged that Nepalese builders had died due to the adverse conditions.

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