Three Reasons Why the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is a World Mess

The bid for the 2022 World Cup has been plagued with controversy from the very start and now it has been all but confirmed to be held in the winter.

There’s been plenty to argue about since Sepp Blatter read out Qatar’s name, one being that he likely walked away with his retirement fund in a briefcase, but FIFA has been bending over backwards ever since, despite all the facts pointing to one thing: Qatar is not ready to host the FIFA World Cup.

Too many promises, too many problems

Qatar, a nation with no footballing history, a nation of stifling desert heat and searing wealth. We’ve heard all the promises – the stadiums will be bigger and better, the climate will not be an issue, the implementation of new laws for tourists. But can they keep them?

Qatar intends to spend over 100 billion to build state-of-the-art football stadiums that can harness the power of the sun to project cool air around the ground. Construction of this magnitude will not go without death. There has been issues surrounding the treatment of migrant workers, which breach human rights. The death toll is already averaging one every two days, many due to the unbearable heat.

Nine of the twelve stadiums do not even exist, with the other three due for construction extensions.  Brazil only just managed and they were a footballing-mad country with infrastructure in place, will Qatar be able to deliver on their magnificent promises?

What will happen to the Premier League?

The World Cup is for the summer, not the winter. It’s what we all look forward to. It makes the short English summer worthwhile. Now the word is that the 2022 Qatar World Cup is to take place in November and December. This will disrupt every major league in Europe and up to 50 other countries. There will have to be a massive reorganisation of fixtures. The top leagues will surely seek compensation for the disruption caused. Yet according to Jérôme Valcke, FIFA’s general secretary, there will be ‘no apology’ and ‘no compensation’ from the world governing body.

What about the likes of Sky and other broadcast partners? When the rights to the Premier League next go up for sale, will they be prepared to pay what is likely to be more than the record £5.136 billion for 2016/17 to 2018/19, knowing that they’ll have to go a whole month without top football coverage of any kind? And when will the final take place? December 23rd? Christmas and New Year will not be the same. No festive football on Boxing Day? Watching England crash out in the quarter-finals will replace watching Home Alone with the family. And England’s poor performance will surely put a dark moody cloud over the festive season. This kills the excitement that goes with a World Cup. It’s not how I want to spend my Christmas.

And yet despite all the questions, FIFA have so far not come up with any plan or mention as to how they will tackle these major issues, we’re just expected to change everything at the will of one man.

It’s not what the fans want

And what about the visiting fans? Qatar promises to permit fans to consume alcohol in designated fan-zones. But how can this be enforced? This will only cause more mayhem with intoxicated fans from all over the globe crammed like sardines in a small space, it’s inevitable. Last but definitely not least, it’s all going to be hideously expensive for the average fan. Will the atmosphere even be worthy of a World Cup Final?

FIFA have alienated fans and clubs. There have been too many promises with no evidence to prove that they’ll be fulfilled. There may be seven years to work it out, but holding a World Cup in the desert – in the winter no less – was never a good idea. It’s just not what football, and the World Cup is about.