Qatar, which won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup, has said it would consider an official request to hold the tournament during the winter, due to heat concerns. Summer temperatures in the Middle Eastern country regularly surpass 122°F, and while games would be held in air-conditioned stadiums, there have still been calls to change the timing for the sake of the fans.

"When our bid was selected by FIFA, everyone knew the World Cup was due to be played in June and July," Qatar soccer federation president Hamad ben Khalifa ben Ahmed Al-Thani told L'Equipe. "It's true, though, that the tournament is about more than just Qatar. It's universal. If FIFA and UEFA, notably, want to propose other dates, we have strong reasons to study that suggestion. For the moment, we're going ahead with the plan that it'll be held in the summer.

On a visit to Dubai last week, UEFA President Michel Platini said that the best time for Qatar to host the World Cup would be November and December. In response, Al-Thani said, “We respect Michel Platini's opinion, but it's only an opinion as FIFA have not sent us an official request to study as yet."