Qatar 2022

[Michael_ Gee]

They have soccer matches in Brazil all the time. The government's grandiose plan to build lots of new stadiums might fall apart, but they'll find places to hold matches.

 

[Flip Wilson]

If they have to build all these new stadiums in Qatar anyway, and they have more money than God, can't they just build domes?

World Cups have to be played on grass, and for all the world's technological advances, producing a grass pitch of anything like an international standard under a roof is still extremely difficult.

Eh, not really. Here are pictures of an arena in Germany that has a slide-out pitch. It's outside when matches aren't being played, and then is slid back into the stadium when needed. There are several stadiums like this one, including the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona.

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/germany/nordrhein_westfalen/gelsenkirchen_schalke.shtml

 

[Webster]

2022 is a long time from now. FIFA is betting on stability in a region not known for it.

For a summer World Cup, the US can host on a couple of months notice.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Unless there are videos of Qatar soccer fans beheading a referee and putting the head on a stick, I'd be a little more worried about the upcoming World Cup.

 

[kingcreole]

I bet Fox is just giddy about the prospects of a winter World Cup, especially in January/February. I hear there are some important NFL games that happen around that time.

 

[ColdCat]

If they have to build all these new stadiums in Qatar anyway, and they have more money than God, can't they just build domes?

World Cups have to be played on grass, and for all the world's technological advances, producing a grass pitch of anything like an international standard under a roof is still extremely difficult.

They already did have an indoor World Cup game, 20 years ago.
Michigan State's ag department grew and maintained a field inside the Pontiac Silverdome.

 

[MileHigh]

I bet Fox is just giddy about the prospects of a winter World Cup, especially in January/February. I hear there are some important NFL games that happen around that time.

Well, it won't be February because the IOC has told FIFA it's watching very closely and the World Cup better not go against the Winter Olympics in February 2022.

If it's January and goes up against the NFL and Fox is worried, we're talking, what, one Saturday and three Sundays? And even then, Qatar is eight hours ahead of the East Coast in the winter, so would there really be a huge conflict with the NFL?

 

[deskslave]

If they have to build all these new stadiums in Qatar anyway, and they have more money than God, can't they just build domes?

World Cups have to be played on grass, and for all the world's technological advances, producing a grass pitch of anything like an international standard under a roof is still extremely difficult.

They already did have an indoor World Cup game, 20 years ago.
Michigan State's ag department grew and maintained a field inside the Pontiac Silverdome.

Which is why I said extremely difficult, not impossible.

Point remains, a series of domes doesn't solve everything. Among other things, you need training facilities for 32 teams.

It would be nice if FIFA would consider the effects that a winter World Cup would have on leagues beyond the Premier Leagues and La Ligas of the world, but I don't expect that to happen.

 

[BTExpress]

Summer night temperatures in Qatar are an acceptable 84 degrees. There are what, two games a day at most? Play 'em at night. Problem solved.

 

[Football_Bat]

Jeff MacGregor :

Only reason why we're doing this.

 

[YankeeFan]

As interesting as the temperature, and the potential schedule change are, I can't believe folks are focusing on that instead of the dying workers.

 

[H.L. Mencken]

I don't understand what the big deal is. They played a friendly there yesterday and it looked great.