FIFA has disclosed that the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be held in Winter, with the Final coming on December 18, which is also Qatar National Day.

The reasoning for such an unprecedented move from the traditional Summer schedule to a Winter one is essentially focused on the climate in Qatar.  A Summer competition would have seen fans and players enduring temperatures between 100º – 122º Fahrenheit, while the Winter tournament should offer temperatures between 55º and 75º, providing a far more favorable environment for both attendees and competitors.

Another novelty about this particular World Cup will be its location. This is the first World Cup to ever be held in the Middle East and both FIFA and Qatari officials have stated how much of a priority this is to them.  Qatar 2022 Local Organising Committee CEO Hassan Al Thawadi said this of the tournament in February:

“…This World Cup is not simply a concept for a tournament that will be held in the distant future. It is evidence that we are working every single day to deliver a unique tournament that will bring people in the Middle East together and build bridges between East and West.”

Clearly, FIFA and Qatar’s commitment to making this a memorable tournament is unwavering.  Regardless, the alleged decision to hold the Final on December 18 will likely be met with much disdain.  Despite being a competition that normally spans 32 matches, the 2022 World Cup will only feature 28, perhaps in an attempt to placate European leagues who fought hard against the Winter World Cup as it will severely affect domestic clubs whose seasons run from August to May.

There are also concerns with the ways in which Qatar is preparing to house and transport the millions of people who will likely flock to the country for the World Cup.  Controversy has surrounded the atrocious working conditions and scarily high death rate of migrant workers who are tasked with building infrastructure in the 2022 World Cup host cities.  Human Rights Watch estimated the amount of workers dying on construction sites in Doha to be one per every two days during 2014.  The International Trade Union Confederation estimates that 1,200 have died as of the turn of the year and that number is expected to rise to 4,000 by the start of the tournament. When multinational law firm DLA Piper recommended that Qatar conduct an investigation into the living and working conditions of the migrant workers, Qatar officials flatly refused.  When questioned about it, FIFA President Sepp Blatter asserted that the welfare of the migrant workers building Qatari facilities in preparation for World Cup 2022 was Qatar’s responsibility, not FIFA’s.

The inevitability of FIFA’s decision to hold the World Cup in Winter despite the public complaints of fans, former players, managers and FA chairmen – and amid allegations of human rights abuse – leaves a sour taste in the mouth of many soccer fans.  While the date of the final will not likely be well-received globally, this is a victory for soccer fans in the Middle East.  Everyone deserves to enjoy the magic of the beautiful game and the location of World Cup 2022 will likely offer an unprecedented opportunity for fans in the region to finally see their favorite players.