FIFA Discussing Qatar 2022 World Cup Dates
ANDERSON: Well, the organization representing Europe's leading football clubs is meeting with FIFA in Zurich to ask them to change the dates of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Doha, of course, awarded the Cup in 2010, but since then, there's been debate about when it should be played. Well, the European Clubs Association wants the matches scheduled for April and May to avoid the intense summer heat. But finding new dates is a juggling act. Most suggestions so far conflict with other international fixtures. James Piercy in the house, deputy editor of "Sport360" here in Abu Dhabi with me this evening to chat about this. And I know this is something you've been writing about for months, probably 18 months or so. What are your thoughts?</s>JAMES PIERCY, DEPUTY EDITOR, "SPORT360": Well, when Qatar was awarded the World Cup -- bear in mind, that was four years ago, and spending four years ago, we're still none the wiser as to when the tournament is going to be held. But when it was awarded, obviously, the summer heat was going to be a problem. Instantly, we had FIFA talking about a winter World Cup. When you actually look at it, Western perceptions, if you like, is that the Middle East is incredibly hot six months a year. But April, May, domestic football is played here, obviously in the evening, but in the evening, the temperatures are very playable. It's not the searing heat, it's not the searing humidity, certainly not near the humidity that players experienced in Brazil this summer, for example.</s>ANDERSON: But the fans are around all day, that's the problem.</s>PIERCY: Of course.</s>ANDERSON: And I remember being here in February, when I arrived here to start broadcasting from here in March. It was hot.</s>PIERCY: Yes. I mean, but you've had World Cups in Brazil --</s>ANDERSON: Sure.</s>PIERCY: -- in Mexico in 1996, when it was record temperatures. The issue, in fact, must now come to light for April is that it's the holy month of Ramadan, which runs April the 3rd into early May, which obviously, Qatar being a Muslim country, offending potential local sensibilities, that sort of thing.</s>ANDERSON: There is also the option that's been discussed of a winter World Cup. Let's just take a look at the possible options on the table for the viewers' sake. The ECA, which represents 20 -- 214 of Europe's biggest teams, I believe, has recently shift its preference to an April-May timing. They believe the temperatures will be cool enough to play in the evenings, and I guess if you played 10:00 or midnight here, you'd be working to the European evening schedule, wouldn't it? It could work with a shift in domestic Cup competitions and the Champions League. But 2022 organizers in Qatar insist that they are able to host the tournament in the original winter with air-conditioned stadiums. Sepp Blatter, the head of world football's governing body, says November- December 2022 is the ideal date, despite opposition from within Europe because of the impact on the Champions League. We all know he has -- he does still hold sway, old Sepp. But UEFA would prefer January-February 2023, although that seems unlikely because of the agreement that the tournament would be played in the calendar year of 2022. What are you writing next?</s>PIERCY: Well, the issue here --</s>ANDERSON: Because there's a lot of options there, isn't there?</s>PIERCY: -- the issue with 2022 January-February, which is favored by European Clubs as a worst-case scenario, if you like, because of, for example, the Bundesliga area, they all have winter breaks. So you're only sort of losing maybe two weeks of the season. But we've got the Winter Olympics 2022 as well, which potentially be Beijing or Almaty. It's just all a bit of a mess. I still stand by -- I genuinely think April-May is a feasible date as well, because it's going to produce less disruption, because you can just start the domestic seasons a little bit earlier, the previous couple of years.</s>ANDERSON: Does this all mean that the report on the alleged dodgy bid for Qatar and, indeed, a report into the bidding process for Russia, is now sort of signed off --</s>PIERCY: Well, not necessarily, no.</s>ANDERSON: -- if you're talking dates at this point?</s>PIERCY: We're told April 2015 the findings are going to be released. Obviously, the report itself is not going to be made public.</s>ANDERSON: We're expecting a few leaks?</s>PIERCY: Well, potentially that could happen as well. But FIFA have said they're going to discuss the findings in April. It looks like individuals involved, hopefully, will be named, and if there has been any wrongdoing. But I'm not sure it's going to have that great an influence.</s>ANDERSON: We've got about 45 seconds. The African Cup, they're off their plans?</s>PIERCY: Well, again, they've got five days, basically, to say if they want to do it. They've said they don't. I think the CAF have basically called their bluff and said, look, if you're going to have it, the trouble is, that there isn't a great deal of other options, except maybe Egypt, where the CAF is based. But it's another situation -- and it needs to be sorted very quickly.</s>ANDERSON: Piercy, you're great, because I always go "Wrap it up," and you get it all in.</s>PIERCY: That's right, that's right.</s>ANDERSON: I've got to put you on at the beginning of the show, not the end of the show, next time. Always a pleasure.</s>PIERCY: Thank you.</s>ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching.