Qatar World Cup ‘will not be in June or July’

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar looks set to be played in November after Fifa’s secretary general stated that the tournament “will not be in June or July”.

Jerome Valcke, who has been given the task of looking at alternative dates due to the fierce heat of the summer in Qatar, says it is likely to be held some time between November 15 and January 15.

Valcke may have jumped the gun — Fifa insist it is just his personal view and that no decision has been made — but it now looks certain to be in the winter of 2022 with November the most likely date.