The mess that is the 2022 Qatar World Cup has just become more farcical, if such a thing were possible.
FIFA Secretary Jerome Valcke has said that the World Cup "will not be June -July" and he said that he reckoned it would be "held between November 15 and January 15 at the latest."
The news that FIFA has decided to upend the whole football calender, likely causing chaos in the European club scene and possibly precipitating a major club v country dispute, just so they can give the World Cup to a country with no proper stadia and an appalling human rights record has not been warmly received online.
There will be some Christmas schedule that year... One thing which hasn't been dwelt on is that the League of Ireland may put on hold their switch back to winter soccer
Fifa's Valcke says 2022 World Cup likely held "Nov 15 - Jan 15'. Surely ExCo decision, not his. Plus 2021/22 because of 22 Winter Olympics?
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) January 8, 2014
FIFA also announce that to further accommodate Qatar's money, er, human rights record the 2022 World Cup will now be held in the year 1526.
— Danny Baker (@prodnose) January 8, 2014
Nov World Cup cld create interesting club v country debate. What happens if PL is so powerful by 2022 clubs cld block players from going? — marcwebber (@marcwebber) January 8, 2014
One man delighted with the blanket coverage of the 2022 World Cup latest... pic.twitter.com/iC4RblY4MK
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) January 8, 2014
The 2022 Qatar World Cup is now officially a joke. Is this the worst decision ever made by a major sporting body? #FIFAJoke #QatarWCJoke
— Richard Foote (@richardfoote) January 8, 2014
Terrific to see Thomas Hitzlsperger come out. A shame he could not live openly in or visit the country which won the World Cup.
— Ben Clark (@scouse_roar) January 8, 2014
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be in December. So Easter has been moved to August. And St Patricks Day & New Years Eve will be combined.
— Will Leahy (@willleahy) January 8, 2014
It's almost as if giving Qatar the World Cup in the 1st place was ill thought out and motivated by factors other than the good of the game
— Matt Arnold (@Moonraked) January 8, 2014
In the spirit of Valcke I announce the O'Byrne cup/McKenna cup/McGrath cup /FBD league/Wat Cystal and Walsh cups to be switched to Summer
— Oisin Langan (@Langanator) January 8, 2014
@emmetmalone I prefer the line, FIFA finally stop putting World Cup on in the middle of the LOI season. #bestleagueinworld
— Paul Beattie (@dcfc3cfc2) January 8, 2014
However, FIFA vice-president, Jim Boyce, told Sky Sports News that a decision had not yet been made on when the World Cup 2022 would be held.
