Europe's biggest clubs in favour of May Qatar 2022 WC hosting despite sweltering heat

ANI

London, Oct 25 (ANI): Europe's biggest football clubs could reportedly ask FIFA to play the Qatar 2022 World Cup in May, despite inquire over moving games from the hot summer months that has been ongoing for more than a year. The European Club Association (ECA), which includes Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, reportedly discussed May 2022 as a potential date. The ECA believes that a tournament in spring would cause minimum disruption. However, the body that represents Europe's biggest football leagues insists the tournament must be played in the summer period as planned, The BBC reported. Frederic Thiriez, chairman of the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), which is made up of 21 leagues including the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and League Un in France, said that the EPFL considers that any re-scheduling of the World Cup would be damaging to the domestic competitions and the leagues' business and sporting interests. Questions were raised almost immediately after Qatar won the rights in 2010 to host the tournament about the Gulf state's suitability, given the intense heat the country experiences in June and July, the traditional time slot for the tournament. Qatar 2022's organisers have always insisted they can play host in the summer, pointing to their plan to use air-cooling technology to lower temperatures within stadiums and fan zones. Breaks in play to allow players to drink water and cool down because of high on-field temperatures featured at this summer's Brazil World Cup. However, they are unlikely to be necessary in Qatar because of planned stadium air-cooling which organisers claim would lower temperatures within grounds to about 23 degree C. The development of carbon neutral stadium-cooling technology was a key legacy pledge for Qatar 2022 and it is thought likely that the bid committee is open to a May schedule. FIFA's calendar taskforce, which is considering the issue, met last month in Zurich. The next meeting is due to take place in early November with representatives from global broadcasters expected to attend. The taskforce, which is led by FIFA vice-president Shaikh Salman, is due to announce the conclusion of its discussions and a timetable in March 2015, the report added. (ANI)