European clubs open to winter World Cup

The chairman of the European Club Association, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, has revealed that the top teams of the continent are "open" to the idea of a winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

A number of footballing figures have called for FIFA to move the sport's most celebrated tournament to a different country as summer temperatures would make it tough on the players.

"It is probably better to play it in winter," BBC Sport quotes him as saying. "We're not in a hurry, there are still nine years to go.

"Having the World Cup in Qatar is not a mistake. After visiting Qatar at our last general assembly we had a good feeling about the organisation of a World Cup there."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter himself has admitted that awarding Qatar the rights to host the World Cup was not a good idea.