ZURICH, March 20 — The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is to be played in November and December and the final will be held on December 18, FIFA director communications Walter de Gregorio said yesterday.

De Gregorio told reporters the decision was made by the executive committee of soccer’s ruling body FIFA after a recommendation by a task force that was set up specifically to discuss the issue.

He said the starting date had yet to be decided, but the intention was that the tournament would last four weeks.

“I can confirm the executive committee today, based on the proposal of the task force...decided that, yes, we are going to play in November and December and, yes, the final is going to be played on December 18,” De Gregorio said at FIFA headquarters.

“It’s a Sunday and it’s also the national day of Qatar and, in principle, we try to play in 28 days. “Next steps will be to have different talks especially related to the match calendar.”

The announcement ended more than four years of indecision.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (centre) holds the World Cup trophy with FIFA president Joseph Blatter (right) after Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich on December 2, 2010. — AFP pic

Qatar was awarded the 2022 finals in December 2010 on the basis it would take place in the summer in air-conditioned stadiums.

But within days Franz Beckenbauer, an executive committee member at the time and UEFA president Michel Platini suggested a Winter World Cup would be possible.

Yesterday’s decision could set FIFA on a collision course with European clubs, who had suggested staging the tournament in May.

The European Clubs Association (ECA), which represents more than 200 teams, previously said they would demand compensation for having to alter their domestic seasons — Reuters