Zurich – Fifa says it will not pay compensation to clubs and leagues unhappy about plans to play the 2022 Qatar World Cup in November and December.
It also said no apology was necessary for the scheduling of the tournament, which will disrupt a number of leagues.
A Fifa taskforce has recommended the 2022 World Cup take place in winter to avoid Qatar’s hot summer temperatures.”There will be no compensation,” said Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke. “There are seven years to reorganise.”
Fifa’s executive committee will meet in Zurich next month to ratify the taskforce’s recommendation.
Valcke also suggested that a 2022 World Cup final on 23 December was looking increasingly likely.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore says a final that close to Christmas will cause havoc with the traditional festive club programme, while Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce wants it played a week earlier.
But Valcke says European governing body Uefa and other confederations are keen on Friday, 23 December, although 18 December is also a possibility.
Valcke also confirmed the 2022 World Cup will be four days shorter as a “concession” to leagues and clubs – 28 days instead of the usual 31 or 32 – and that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will move to June from January.