By Andrew Warshaw
August 16 – Premier League chief Richard Scudamore is back on the offensive over the 2022 World Cup, this time suggesting it should be moved from Qatar rather than be staged in winter. The Premier League are gradually losing the argument of sticking with a June-July tournament even though switching to winter would break with tradition and should have been thought through properly two and half years ago when the vote took place, rather than now.
Playing in the Gulf at the height of summer has raised widespread concern over the health and safety of players and supporters, with many key stakeholders – the latest being new English FA chairman Greg Dyke – taking the view that it would be extremely unwise to play at the usual World Cup time.
Scudamore takes the opposite view, insisting it would be “nigh on impossible” to switch because it would wreak havoc with the Premier League season and other league schedules around the globe.
Scudamore insists this would cause too much disruption around the world and is urging FIFA to consult with all parties before its executive committee, due to formally discuss the idea in early October, makes any definitive decision.
“They’ve decided to hold the World Cup in the summer in Qatar – that’s their decision,” Scudamore told Sky. ‘Our view is this: if that is deemed to be not possible for whatever reasons FIFA decide – and it’s their decision not ours as to where they hold the World Cup – then they need to move the location if it can’t be held in the summer.
“They can’t just on a whim decide to move it to the winter, that’s a very different issue. It’s extremely difficult, nigh on impossible in our view. In any event the whole thing would have to be consulted through.
“The international football calendar is one that has to be consulted. It’s not something FIFA can just decide, because the whole of world football has an interest in that. There’s a whole series of complications around that.
“That has to be a separate consultation process with leagues and associations, not just the Premier League and European leagues, but on a global basis to make sure it works for everybody.”
Scudamore doesn’t agree with the increasingly vocal argument that playing the World Cup in temperatures that can exceed 50C would be unworkable. “The bid was extremely thorough, they dealt with all the issues about the heat and the managing of the air conditioning in the stadiums,” he said.
“My view is you can do it in the summer. We are a winter game. What I don’t want is our game pushed back until June and July. It doesn’t work for English football. We have other sports. What would happen to cup competitions, like the FA Cup – things that are unique and important to English football? The practical implications of moving it are huge.”
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