Doha: Qatar has maintained it can host the 2022 World Cup in summer even as pressure mounts on FIFA to switch it to winter to save players and fans from the heat in the country.
Qatar said it was open to a switch to winter dates but reiterated that despite the extreme heat, it could stage the World Cup in summer by building AC stadiums using newly environmentally-friendly technology. “We bid for the World Cup in summer and are fully committed and working hard to deliver on these promises,” the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee said in a statement yesterday. “If the international football community asks us to move the timetable, we are able to do so, but the development and implementation of environmentally-friendly cooling technologies remains an important legacy issue for our nation, region and many countries with similar climates.”
“Creating comfortable conditions for public areas, walkways, training pitches and stadiums during and after the World Cup means being able to play and watch football matches in summer throughout the country,” the committee said.
