FIFA executive board member Theo Zwanziger believes that Qatar will be stripped of its right to host the 2022 World Cup Finals due to the country's predicted extreme heat. According to ABC News, a spokesman for world football's governing body insists that this is simply the German board member's "personal opinion." However, Zwanziger remains firm in his belief that players and fans will encounter great health risks, and that in eight years' time the tournament will be moved elsewhere.

Zwanziger stated, "I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar... The doctors say - and I demanded to have this registered in the records - that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions."

According to The Independent, Qatar has insisted that a summer World Cup is possible due to cooling technologies it is developing for its stadiums, training areas, and fan zones. However, there are still concerns that though the country is wealthy enough to provide such services, it will not be able to fully protect the health of players and visiting supporters.

Zwanziger noted, "The World Cup not only takes place in the stadiums... Fans from all over the world will be out in the heat. The first life-threatening incident would immediately lead to public prosecution. And no one in the FIFA executive world would want to answer for that."

It seems that some are in agreement with Zwanziger's beliefs. This past May, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that awarding the World Cup to Qatar in 2010 was 'a mistake' and that the tournament would probably have to be held in the European winter. He stated, "Of course, it was a mistake. You know, one comes across a lot of mistakes in life... The Qatar technical report indicated clearly that it is too hot in the summer, but the executive committee with quite a big majority decided all the same that the tournament would be in Qatar."

FIFA is now looking to shift the tournament to a European winter date, but has been met by tough opposition from European clubs, who fear the changes to their respective domestic calendars.