A FIFA task force’s recommendation to "avoid Qatar’s sweltering summer heat by pushing the start of the 2022 World Cup to November has left European officials a little hot under the collar, igniting a feud between soccer’s world governing body and the sport’s top professional leagues and players," according to Kevin Baxter of the L.A. TIMES. The change "would wreak havoc with top leagues, most of which play an August-to-May schedule." Ligue I President Frederic Thiriez said, "It is the worst solution. We are going to stop in November after 13 or 14 games and start again in January. In the meantime, players will not play, the clubs will not make any money, the fans will be deprived of national competitions and television companies will be furious." European soccer officials "are expected to wage a fierce lobbying campaign against the proposed changes before a vote on the recommendations is held next month." FIFA yesterday said that all its member confederations "were in support of the new schedule, which the group said would be ratified at the executive committee meeting March 19-20 in Zurich." Clubs and leagues "could try to change that by threatening to seek compensation for losses caused by an enforced break in their competitions." The European Club Assn. "is already calling on FIFA to pay major clubs for the rights to use players in midseason" (L.A. TIMES, 2/25). FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke today said of the issue of clubs possibly seeking pay for losses due to the schedule, "There will be no compensation. I mean they have seven years to reorganize soccer around the world for this World Cup" (REUTERS, 2/25).
PLAYERS GONNA PLAY: Fox Sports' Warren Barton said of moving the event, "I'm going to be positive and say when the players go, particularly the European-based players, they'll be at half season so they won't be exhausted and they've not been playing for 10 months" ("America's Pregame," FS1, 2/24). ESPN's Stuart Holden said for the players, rather than coming into the World Cup after a grueling, long season, you're actually playing at peak fitness at mid-season. From that point of view, it's a bonus for players on a European calendar" ("ESPN FC," ESPNews, 2/24).
