Gulf nation’s bid likely to meet serious European opposition due to disruption of the footballing calendar
Qatar is exploring a bid to host the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, with a plan to stage the competition in winter to avoid the country’s intense summer heat.
Senior Qatari officials have held informal talks with FIFA representatives during the ongoing tournament in the United States, according to The Guardian. The Gulf nation, which successfully hosted the 2022 World Cup, is said to have laid out a plan that will ensure a carbon-efficient tournament with much simpler logistics than the current edition.
Unlike the ongoing tournament in the US, which has seen teams flying across 11 different American cities in scorching summer heat, the Qatari edition will leverage the country’s compact infrastructure.
All nine stadiums built for the 2022 World Cup are still operational, with six hosting regular matches in the Qatar Stars League. This would allow FIFA to slash costs and reduce travel-related emissions, which is a climate concern.
However, any successful bid by Qatar would hinge on moving the event to winter, much like with the 2022 World Cup, as hosting the tournament in the searing Qatari summer would not be feasible.
But the winter scheduling poses a direct threat to European leagues. The European Leagues body and global players’ union FIFPro are already taking legal action against FIFA over the lack of consultation surrounding the new format. A December tournament would mean further disruption to packed domestic calendars.
The likelihood of the event may ultimately depend on the decision of the clubs involved. FIFA’s staggering prize fund for the competition may prove to be a strong incentive to participate.
Qatar joins a growing field of interested hosts, with Brazil, Spain and Morocco having also recently expressed their interest in hosting the tournament in 2029.
