17 Dec 2010

Qatar to host 2022 World Cup on their own

6:06 pm on 17 December 2010

Qatar will stage the 2022 World Cup finals alone without seeking help from neighbouring countries.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said recently that Qatar, a football minnow which was awarded the 2022 finals earlier this month, might farm out some matches to other countries in the Gulf.

The president of the United Arab Emirates Football Association Mohamed Khalfan al-Rumaithi says they have not been approached.

There have also been suggestions that the finals could be moved from the traditional mid-year period to January because of the intense summer heat in Qatar.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said the idea raised by Germany great Franz Beckenbauer of a winter World Cup in Qatar would have to be raised to executive committee level.