Qatar World Cup to be held in winter

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed the 2022 Qatar World Cup will take place from November 21 to December 18, which will be the first-ever winter tournament in the northern hemisphere, reports Tencent.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino makes a speech during a press conference at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, on July 13, 2018. [Photo: VCG]

Infantino says FIFA has decided on the date to avoid the extreme heat of Qatar in summer, which sees temperatures hit 40 degrees on a regular basis during the summer months.

FIFA has scheduled the event for the end of the year despite scheduling conflicts for league clubs. FIFA expects domestic leagues will be able to adjust their schedules to accommodate the global event.

Infantino also says FIFA has yet to decide whether the tournament in Qatar will feature 32 or 48 teams.