Soccer-Possible alternative dates for 2022 World Cup

Oct 1 (Reuters) - A look at the possible alternative dates for the Qatar World Cup in 2022, originally scheduled to be held in the summer months of June and July: Background: Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup by FIFA in 2010, winning the hosting rights ahead of the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia. Its bid was based on a summer World Cup, despite the searing temperatures. Qatar has argued all along that it will build air-conditioned stadiums using environmentally-sustainable technology. However, there are still concerns for visiting fans and about training facilities for teams. International match calendar The dates for international competitions are fixed by soccer's governing body FIFA. Its international match calendar runs in four-yearly cycles ending with the World Cup. The calendar for the next cycle, from September 2014 to July 2018, was ratified by FIFA in March after a lengthy consultation process which ended the previous September. This means that the schedule for the 2018-2022 cycle, which would include the Qatar World Cup, would have to be finalised in mid to late 2016. January 2022 The first mention of a possible winter World Cup was made by FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Dec. 17, 2010, 15 days after Qatar was awarded the finals when he spoke at a news conference in Abu Dhabi during the Club World Cup. "I definitely support the idea to play in winter here in the Middle East; to play when the climate is appropriate and I'm thinking about the footballers, not only the fans," he said then. "It's a question of the international calendar but again it's in 11-and-a-half years but it should be possible with the will." It was widely assumed that January and February would be the most obvious alternative, as they are the coolest months and this period coincides with a winter break in many European countries. April 2022 Last month, European Clubs Association (ECA) president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge suggested that the tournament could be staged in April, saying it would be less disruptive to the international calendar. "In April the temperatures in Qatar are really quite pleasant," Rummenigge, whose association represents more than 200 European clubs, told Germany's Sport Bild weekly. November 2022 International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said on Sunday that Blatter had proposed November 2022 as the best period. "I have spoken with president Blatter a couple of weeks ago when he made the proposal to have the World Cup in November 2022," he said. This would avoid any danger of a clash with the Winter Olympics at the start of the year. Move to summer football There is support in Europe for a switch to summer football, with 2022 presenting the perfect excuse for such a move. "Everywhere, be it Germany, France or England, summer is the best period of the year and that is the season we don't play," Rummenigge told France Football in January. "In deepest winter, when it is very cold and snowing, we play nearly all the time in conditions that are disagreeable for both players and spectators. It is not logical. My sense is that we are heading straight in this direction.'' UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino also said summer football would be more pleasant. "You see people in the stadiums with hats and scarves," he told the Times newspaper in an interview. "Why did England, who brought us this beautiful game, decide that football is for the winter and not for the summer? Cricket. "The month of June, which is the most beautiful month to play football, is hardly ever used except for the Euros and the World Cup." (Compiled by Brian Homewood; Editing by Clare Fallon)