This year’s World Cup has been scheduled in the months of November and December, unlike in the usual June-July window In 3 days time, FIFA World Cup, the greatest footballing action in the world, will kickstart in Qatar. It is the first time that the event is happening in the Middle East.
The timing of this year’s edition of the World Cup has generated a lot of controversies in the football world, considering it effects on players and the tight schedule it generated with club football, which has lead to fatigue and lots of injuries amongst players.
Let’s discuss about possible reasons why the World Cup is being held at this unusual time of the year and it’s effect on the tournament. Feel free to join the discussion and share your views.
According to Sporting news outlet, Due to the extreme summer heat in the nation, Qatar’s candidacy for the 2022 competition included the choice to hold the World Cup during the Northern Hemisphere winter months.
Despite the fact that there has been opposition to the notion since at least 2010, FIFA conducted two feasibility assessments in Qatar in 2014 and 2015 that concluded the event could not be held within the customary June and July dates.
Due to the oppressive weather, the local Qatar Stars League often lasts from September to April, with even the average temperatures at the end of April reaching over 92 F. (33 C).
Each World Cup stadium has been upgraded as part of the Qatar 2022 bid team’s efforts to solve the concerns with heat and humidity, even in the winter months.
Qatar has a desert climate . The country experiences long summers from May to September , marked by extreme dry heat, with temperatures rising above 45°C. There are mild winters and sweltering summers. November and early December are identified as part of the mid-season, with temperatures between 21°C and 29°C.
High-tech cooling solutions
As an oil-wealthy country, Qatar organizers incorporated the most advanced cooling technologies into its stadiums, further reducing the venues’ temperature. The World Cup stadiums will be equipped with a “focused cooling” air-conditioning system to deal with heat and humidity issues.
