First time in winter: FIFA confirms 2022 World Cup to be held between November and December in Qatar

FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed on Friday that FIFA World Cup’s next edition will be held for the very first time during the winters.

According to reports, the tournament in Qatar will be played from November 21 to December 18 in 2022.

“Leagues around the world have been informed already, and of course they will have to adapt,” a FIFA statement read.

Since the World Cup will be played in between the club leagues, the franchises will be forced to leave the players for their respective nations in the lead up to the mega international event.

However, post World Cup won’t be an issue because several leagues, apart from Premier League, that will suffer, anyway have a break over Christmas.

The English leagues generally have their hectic spell around Christmas but that would start around a week after the end of the final.

FIFA Vice-President Jim Boyce discussed the possibility of a winter tournament in 2015 saying, "I think it could be a tremendous World Cup because I think players will be fresher than they have ever been. It's going to be 28 days, it's not a lifetime. It means [domestic leagues] starting three weeks earlier and finishing three weeks later for one year."