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Football League 'disappointed' by FIFA proposal to move Qatar 2022 World Cup dates

A plaque is held before a presentation to Aston Villa by the Football League's  Shaun Harvey
Image: Shaun Harvey: Aims to keep disruption to an absolute minimum

Chief executive Shaun Harvey says the Football League are "disappointed' with FIFA's proposal to move the Qatar 2022 World Cup to November and December.

A FIFA task force recommended a winter World Cup finishing in late December, with FIFA's executive committee to make the final decision on dates next month.

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FIFA has confirmed that there will be no compensation for European clubs over the World Cup in Qatar in 2022

FA chairman Greg Dyke said the best option would be for FIFA to move the World Cup from Qatar but that the choice of November and December was "the best of the bad options".

Meanwhile, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, who was on the task force that met in Doha on Tuesday, said a final in late December could see the whole Christmas and new year fixture programme removed.

Harvey has echoed Scudamore's comments, adding it was important to keep any fixture disruption to an absolute minimum.

"We note the recommendation by the FIFA Task Force that the 2022 World Cup should now be played in November and December," Harvey said in a statement by the Football League.

"We are disappointed by this recommendation as we could have reasonably expected the tournament to be played at the end of our 2021/22 season given that was the basis upon which the tender process was conducted.

"Clearly, there will be any number of questions to raise with FIFA once the final decision is confirmed so that we can discuss the practical implications with our clubs and other stakeholders in order to keep any fixture disruption to an absolute minimum."

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