PARIS: Qatar's neighboring countries could host games at the 2022 World Cup, according to FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Qatar was designated the 2022 World Cup last week, despite fears the intense heat poses a serious health risk if the tournament is played in summer. In an interview with sports daily L'Equipe Thursday, Blatter said Australia's 2022 World Cup bid proposed some matches could be held in New Zealand, and Qatar could likewise have neighboring countries host games. He didn't say which countries. “Australia, in its candidacy bid, proposed to give several matches to New Zealand,” Blatter told L'Equipe. “I think it could be the same in Qatar and that some matches could take place in nearby countries.” FIFA was right to award Qatar the World Cup, Blatter reiterated, because football needs to expand from its traditional strongholds. “With Qatar, we are opening football to a new world and a new culture,” Blatter said. “The Arab world, which has tried several times - with Morocco or Egypt for example - to host the World Cup, could legitimately lay claim to hosting this.” Blatter says finance was not a primary motivation for awarding the tournament to Qatar. “If we had wanted to make money, we would have gone to the United States,” Blatter said. “You must not forget that they (Qatar) have been making efforts for a while and have already hosted FIFA competitions” like the under-20 World Cup. A former senior Asian Football Confederation official has also urged FIFA to reschedule the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to the winter months of January or February to avoid the desert state's sweltering heat. “Qatar is a nice country ... but there is no way football can be played in June and July there. No player will ever want to play in these conditions,” Peter Velappan, who was the AFC general secretary for three decades, told the Associated Press. “I would strongly recommend that FIFA reschedule the tournament to January, February. On the other hand a later start to the next World Cup to allow top players to have a longer rest after sapping club seasons will be one of the key issues for a FIFA task force looking at improving future tournaments, Reuters has learnt. Blatter has already announced plans for his task force to look at ways of making the tournament more attractive. IOC for Mideast bid The International Olympic Committee would be happy to see another Middle Eastern bid for the Games, the IOC president said Thursday in the latest signal of the sporting world's expanding horizons. “There is an interest in certain Middle Eastern countries for the Games and we would welcome their bids,” said Jacques Rogge, while observing the Asian Beach Games in Oman. Rogge did not name any city, but said there are several sites in the region capable of “good and well organized” bids.
