World Cup 2022: Why is Qatar WC happening in November-December?

This year’s World Cup has been scheduled in the months of November and December, unlike in the usual June-July window.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 branding is seen inside a mall in Doha. | Photo Credit: Hamad I Mohammed

Within a month, FIFA World Cup, the greatest footballing action in the world, will kickstart in Qatar. It is the first time that the event is happening in the Middle East.

This year’s World Cup has been scheduled in the months of November and December, unlike in the usual June-July window. This has been done to combat the fierce Qatari summer heat, which is often more than 40°C during the period. This comes down to an average of 24°C in November and 21°C in December.

For years, the global football calendar was structured around a June-July World Cup. This year’s change has forced domestic and continental club competitions to schedule their games with a break right at the middle of the action.

👀 Here's how the nations heading to the #FIFAWorldCup sit in the #FIFARanking ahead of #Qatar2022!

🏆 Which nation will triumph in Qatar?

1➡️16 pic.twitter.com/bEg0O9MPV4

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 6, 2022

The heat and the difficulty of restructuring of the existing football schedule pattern were few of the concerns raised against Qatar’s bid for the World Cup in 2010.

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In addition to the rescheduling of club-level competitions, Qatar has also incorporated advanced cooling technologies into its stadiums, which will further reduce the temperature in the venues.