The prospect of a winter World Cup in 2022 looks set to become a reality after Europe’s football associations voted against holding the tournament in the Qatari summer.
All 54 member associations of UEFA, Europe’s governing body, backed the decision at the meeting in Croatia Thursday.
“They all agreed that this competition could not take place in the heat of Qatar in the summer,” FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce told CNN.
“At the end of the day common sense has to prevail here and I’m glad at long last common sense has prevailed,” he added.
FIFA, the game’s world governing body, has been considering the option of moving the tournament because of fears that players and fans would be adversely affected by the searing heat, which can reach 122 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer.
