The end of summer World Cups? Middle East-loving FIFA want regular winter tournaments after Saudi Arabia in radical change to football’s calendar
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has claimed football must keep an ‘open mind’ about when the World Cup will be held as it puts an end to the traditional summer window.
The World Cup was usually held in the summer in the northern hemisphere, but the tournament was moved to winter for the 2022 showcase in Qatar.
Matches were played in November and December due to high temperatures in the Gulf country, dates that forced Europe’s major leagues to take a mid-season break.
With Saudi Arabia winning the 2024 World Cup, the possibility of a new winter tournament has increased.
A FIFA report last year stated that the best temperatures in Saudi Arabia were ‘between October and April’.
Temperatures throughout the month range from 15°C to 30°C on average, while between May and September they average 17°C to 38°C.
FIFA chief says FIFA World Cup could be moved from northern hemisphere summer
Gianni Infantino says ‘keep an open mind’ about when World Cups will be held
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup with ideal temperatures in winter
Previous World Cup events have largely taken place in June and July, when temperatures in Saudi Arabia ‘can exceed 40°C during the hottest parts of the day in Riyadh’.
Speaking at the general assembly of European Football Clubs in Rome, Infantino argued that the World Cup could be shifted to a different date from the traditional time period and that it was necessary to be “open-minded” about the calendar.
“This is not just about a World Cup, this is a general reflection, even playing in some European countries in July is very, very hot, so maybe we should think about it,” Infantino said.
‘June, which is actually the best month to play football, is not used much in Europe.
‘Maybe there are ways to optimize the schedule, but we’re discussing that and we’ll see when we come to some conclusions. We just need to keep an open mind.
‘It is a fact that if you want to play everywhere in the world at the same time, you can probably play in March or October. Because you can’t play in one part of the world in December, and you can’t play in another part of the world in July.
‘When we talk about national team competitions, national team release, club competitions we need to consider all these elements and see how we can make them better for the benefit of everyone.’
The international match calendar is currently fixed until 2030, with the next two events of the men’s World Cup taking place in the northern hemisphere summer.
Qatar 2022 World Cup was held in November and December to combat intense heat
England, if qualified, will be able to play at 2am in North America to combat extreme heat
The United States, Canada and Mexico will host next year’s event in June and July.
Kick-off times are expected to be 17:00 BST, 20:00, 23:00 and 02:00, reflecting this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
This tournament was beset by heat issues, so key matches in the World Cup were adjusted to be in later slots to aid player welfare.
Speaking about what the World Cup could learn from the Club World Cup, FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani agreed that it was ‘time to start’.
Elaborating further on the issue, he told the Leaders Conference in Twickenham: ‘Start times are always an issue in our region as summers are hot in Canada and the USA.
‘We have discussions every day with the European media and other world media about what is best and which stadiums you can play at 15:00. It’s all in the mix now.
‘When the actual schedule is revealed after the draw we will do our best to make sure it is taken into account. From a TV perspective, will every game be absolutely perfect from the moment it kicks off? I don’t know.’
Morocco, Portugal and Spain have been confirmed to host the 2030 tournament.
Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will also organize matches to celebrate the centenary of the World Cup won.
