The Fifa World Cup 2022 has sparked a great deal of controversy over the last weeks, months and years, with the decision to hold it in Qatar – infuriating many, and causing others to question how it could possibly go ahead.
The further decision to hold the competition over November and December was hardly less controversial and has led to many more complaints and discussions about how exactly this will affect the English Premier League and its players. Here we will look at the 3 main ways it will be affected and how serious they are.
1. The Calendar
We know that the World Cup will take place between November the 21st and December the 18th, with games played at intervals the entire time through that period. This is right in the time where the English Premier League along with many others across Europe and the world would normally be taking place.
In general, the English Premier League begins in mid-August and carries on until the middle of May. This year, the league began on the 6th of August and will finish on the 28th of May 2023 to allow for a six week break in the middle for the World Cup. The league will pause on November 14th, the day after the final World Cup squads must be announced, and will continue until just over a week after the World Cup Final with matches set to resume on December 26th.
The odds for English Premier League sides being affected by this pause is high. They will know that their players, particularly those whose countries do well, will be tired and may come back worn out.
2. The Players
Now we know how the football calendar will be affected it is time to consider the players themselves. Going to Qatar, a country in a different time zone and with a different climate for many of the players, will be strenuous. They will have to get used to the time and temperature quickly as they only have a week to rest from the Premier League or their own club football league before they have to start playing for their country.
At the end of the competition they will similarly have only a short window to reset their body clocks and get used to the climate before returning to club football. Some may be injured or worn down by not only the amount of football, but the intensity of the level they are playing at. Public scrutiny, hopes, and blame will rest on them and it may impact how they play both during and after the World Cup.
3. The Fans
For the huge fans of individual clubs they may find themselves annoyed at the break, worried about favourite stars like Pogba making their injury worse for their country instead of returning to the club, or that other mistakes and injuries may happen. There is also concern about the change in time of year for those used to watching outside on big screens in places like Hyde Park in London which will be rather cold come December.
However, for the majority, the World Cup is an exciting event whenever it happens, and they will proudly be behind their country, team, and favourite players as the competition kicks off.
