UEFA President Michel Platini hinted that he is ready to fundamentally change the schedules of club tournaments so that the 2022 World Cup could take place in winter.
In June, the temperature in Qatar often rises to 50 degrees Celsius, so various options are being considered. One of them is to hold the championship in December or January.
The Qataris have also promised to install powerful air conditioners, which could make the temperature inside and outside the stadium differ by several tens of degrees.
"If we decide to play in winter, there won't be big problems with organizing," said the legendary Frenchman. "If people can't enjoy football because it's too hot, then it's bad. Instead of finishing seasons in Europe in May, they would extend to June, and in December they would be briefly paused. Where's the problem?"
Platini also staunchly defended the decision to entrust Qatar with the right to host the championship, even though in other candidate countries, such as the USA or Japan, such climate issues wouldn't arise.
"I think it's great to go to a different part of the world where the planet's championship has never been held before," Platini defended. "The decision was good, but we have to adapt to the situation and look for the best solutions."