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Qatar’s Hot World Cup

Summary

10 December 2010

A former official of the Asian Football Confederation has said Qatar should hold the 2022 World Cup during its winter months. Peter Velappan warned that it could be so hot in June or July that some European countries might not attend.

Reporter:

Alex Capstick

Qatar won the right to host the World Cup in 2022 despite its scorching temperatures, which often exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

The super-rich Gulf state promised to install solar-powered cooling systems in the stadiums, and fan zones. But Peter Velappan, who led the development of Asian football for three decades, until he left the AFC in 2006, has suggested a different solution. 

He said no one would want play in those conditions and has strongly recommended that Fifa reschedule the tournament for January or February. 

Germany's former captain and coach, Franz Beckenbauer, a member of Fifa's executive committee, has made a similar proposal. But Mike Lee, who worked as a consultant on Qatar's bid campaign, insisted moving the event from its traditional place in the calendar was never a consideration, and Qatar has the means to make it a comfortable experience for players and supporters. 

Changing the dates of the World Cup would be complicated. It would disrupt the European league seasons, and calls to shift the tournament to earlier in the year would be resisted by Fifa. It's a debate which is likely to run for the next 12 years. 

Alex Capstick, BBC News