Death, taxes and a summer of breathtaking World Cup action every four years. Some things just never change. Until 2022, that is.
That seems to be the message FIFA is sending to fans, as football's governing body confirmed that two options are emerging as the most likely dates for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - and both options take place outside of the summer months.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke explained the situation Monday.
“We are getting closer to narrowing the dates for the World Cup to two options – January-February 2022 or November-December 2022 – but FIFA has also been asked to consider May 2022," he said after a meeting designed to examine the international calendar and select the best possible date for the tournament.
“We will summarise what we’ve heard today and provide feedback to all parties in order for them to prepare for the next meeting as we progress towards a final decision.”
Multiple clubs, understandably unwilling to see their seasons brought to a complete halt midway through the year, have asked that FIFA consider May as a possible solution.
Senior FIFA official Harold Mayne-Nicholls is suggesting that the 2022 World Cup, which is controversially slated to be hosted in Qatar, could bring a whole new meaning to playing under the lights.
In conversation with BBC Sport, Mayne-Nicholls, an ex-Chilean football chief who is considering the option of challenging Sepp Blatter for FIFA presidency, proposed that matches could kick off as late as 1 a.m. in order to avoid the extreme heat of Qatar.
"You could play the first game at 7 p.m., the second game at 10 p.m. and the third matches at 1 a.m.," Mayne-Nicholls said, while also adding that such a schedule would be "chaotic."
It's unlikely that the suggestion amounts to anything as the idea is sure to be met with widespread criticism from football associations at the club level and Mayne-Nicholls, who led FIFA's technical commission when assessing the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, acknowledges that the proposed schedule would have a drastic impact on how the tournament is organized.
"You'd change everything," he said. "It would be a couple of hours behind in Europe, and that would help TV."
Blatter has suggested that the World Cup be moved to November and December in order to compensate for the serious heat concerns, although the idea of the competition taking place in January and February has also been discussed.
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