Qatar World Cup will move but not due to the weather

[NS Herald]

IMHO the weather issue is primarily a smoke screen for the World Cup dates being moved and alas it's really religion that means it was never going to take place in the summer.

Some of you may have heard about the Haj which is a huge religious event that takes place each year in Mecca. Every able bodied Muslim is supposed to make this Pilgrimage once in their lifetime and many millions travel from all over the world each year to attend. The actual Haj itself is only a few days but the whole event lasts just under 3 months from beginning to end as Saudi Arabia deals with the biggest air transportation event on the planet.

This years Haj is roughly from the beginning of September to late November. Each year it moves forward 9 or 10 days depending on the lunar calendar.

Thus in 2022 it will last from early June to late August and there is no way that a Muslim country will want to host a huge sporting event that clashes with an even bigger religious event, particularly where its neighbouring country is the host and such a close allay.

Another great decision by Mr Blatter and his cronies

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't know anything about that, but I certainly hope we do have a winter world cup. Our players are always knackered in June and at their peak in the middle of the season, would have a much better chance of winning a winter world cup than a summer one.

 

[happypig]

I hope it isn't moved, it will mean a 6-8 week international break right in the middle of the season so we'll have to shift anything up to 10 games (more if there are cup replays). This means we're going to see even more evening games or a season going well into June.
I know it might work for some other leagues, but the English league have never had a winter break and I don't see why we should start now.

 

[Gritt23]

I hope the Leagues around Europe grow a pair and tell FIFA where to stick their idea of a winter World Cup.

The idea is crap, and was never the idea that was presented at the bidding process. A winter World Cup was not what they all voted on, and if there is such a significant change required for Qatar to host it, then the bidding process should be done all over again. The pros and cons of each country bidding gets looked at, with a big "con" for the Qatar bid is that you will have to re-arrange your entire domestic programme to slot it in as a winter World Cup.

I just don't know how the footballing powerhouses of Papua New Guines, Jordan and the Cayman Islands (all Vice Presidents at FIFA) could have come up with such a decision.

 

[Nathan]

Isn't it still ****ing hot in the winter?

 

[father_and_son]

NS Herald, I see your point but think you are wrong.

Qatar hosting the world cup was never about getting Muslims to watch football, so frankly I don't think they give a shit about how many people will or won't be on a pilgrimage at the time (and although the overall number is large, its a relatively small percentage that make it in any given year).

Getting the world cup was all about getting the [rich] Europeans and Asians who do give a sh*t about the game to see Qatar in the same way they see the likes of Dubai or Abu Dhabi and create a huge second income from [luxury] tourism for when the oil runs low.

 

[Triggaaar]

I hope the Leagues around Europe grow a pair and tell FIFA where to stick their idea of a winter World Cup.

That would be magnificent.

 

[essbee]

I hope FIFA implodes is replaced by a new organisation and Blatter ends up a bitter, broken man.

 

[Frutos]

I hope it is moved, to a country more suitable for hosting it.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I hope the Leagues around Europe grow a pair and tell FIFA where to stick their idea of a winter World Cup.

Summed it up in a nutshell. :thumbup:

 

[The Wizard]

Isn't it still ****ing hot in the winter?

Yup but winter temperatures are more like 30-35c than 45-50c, saying that I think it's a crap idea and shows how badly FIFA is run in the first place that this nation got the World Cup.... Or how corrupt they are, or both.

 

[Bwian]

deleted double post

 

[Bwian]

I hope the Leagues around Europe grow a pair and tell FIFA where to stick their idea of a winter World Cup.

That would be magnificent.

I hope FIFA implodes is replaced by a new organisation and Blatter ends up a bitter, broken man.

I hope it is moved, to a country more suitable for hosting it.

Sadly none of the above will happen-football is too corrupt now.

 

[glasfryn]

Sighs
and platini was such a good player what ever happened

 

[crodonilson]

I think this will be the makings of a permanent winter break in this country.

 

[fataddick]

I think this will be the makings of a permanent winter break in this country.

I agree. For that reason alone a Winter World Cup is a godsend. A winter break is LONG overdue. Aren't we pretty much the only European country that stupidly doesn't have one?

And instead of worrying about evening games, let's cut the divisions down to 16-20 teams each. Again, LONG overdue.

 

[crodonilson]

I agree. For that reason alone a Winter World Cup is a godsend. A winter break is LONG overdue. Aren't we pretty much the only European country that stupidly doesn't have one?

And instead of worrying about evening games, let's cut the divisions down to 16-20 teams each. Again, LONG overdue.

Absolutely.

A months break from mid-December to mid-January and cut divisions to 18 teams per division. I also think it's high time the lower 2-3 league divisions were regionalised.

 

[MattBackHome]

A WC final on Xmas day would be quality.

Other than that the whole things stinks.

 

[Triggaaar]

Sighs
and platini was such a good player what ever happened

He was a talented footballing great, but underneath it all, he was still French.

 

[wardy wonder land]

....

Other than that the whole things stinks.

Blatter's 1998 presidential leadership campaign was partially funded by Qatary investments.................