Infantino opens the door to changing World Cup dates to avoid summer heat

Rome.— FIFA President Gianni Infantino raised the possibility this Thursday of modifying the World Cup calendar from 2030, in order to avoid the high temperatures that affect various venues during the boreal summer.

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During his intervention at the European Football Clubs (EFC) assembly —formerly the European Club Association (ECA)—, held in Rome, Infantino explained that FIFA is considering calendar alternatives, similar to what was done with the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which was played between November and December due to the extreme climatic conditions of the host country.

“It seems quite obvious for the World Cup, but it can’t be played in some places in summer, so we might have to change the calendar”, Infantino pointed out after his participation in the assembly.

The Swiss leader added that the issue is not limited to a single tournament, but is part of a global reflection on the future organization of international football.

“Even playing in some European countries in July is very hot, so perhaps we should reflect on this. There are ways to optimize the calendar, but we are discussing it and we will see when we reach a conclusion. We just have to be open-minded,” he added.

🔹 Al-Khelaifi: “Don’t be afraid of change”

For his part, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and of EFC itself, supported the idea of discussing the possible change of dates, although he insisted on the need for a consensus among all parties involved before making a final decision.

“It’s an important issue to say something for sure right now. We want all the actors to participate in the development of the calendar. We don’t have to be afraid of changes if they are for the better,” commented Al-Khelaifi.

The Qatari executive stressed that the eventual modification will require the active participation of players, coaches and clubs, who are the main protagonists of the competitive calendar:

“We have to study all the options. Does something have to change? Yes, of course. But we must bring everyone to the table, including players and coaches, who are the ones who work day by day on the field.”

FIFA has not yet set a deadline to make a decision, but the proposal opens the debate on the restructuring of major international tournaments based on global climatic conditions and the demands of the modern football calendar.