Heat pushes the World Cup towards winter for the first time ever
Thanks to Qatar's anticipated summer heat in June and July, the World Cup will now be taking in place in November and December, giving players a chance to participate in more suitable temperatures.
With the Canadian men's team recently earning its spot in the World Cup, its first appearance in 36 years, Qatar is gearing up to host the event later than originally planned.
Soccer's coveted affair will now be taking in place in November and December, instead of Qatar's bid for mid-June to mid-July.
The reason for the move? The extreme heat.
During the original proposed timeline for the competition, the normal daytime high in Doha, Qatar, -- from June 15 to July 4 -- is 41.3°C, with an average overnight low sitting around 28°C. From July 5-20, the typical high is 41.5°C with a low of 29°C.
According to a AccuWeather.com meteorologist, it can get even warmer than that during this time. “However, highs do routinely hit in the 43-46°C (110-115°F) range during this time with nighttime lows only as low as 32-35°C (90-95°F),” said Jason Nicholls.
That's pretty toasty for playing soccer outdoors, so officials made the decision to reschedule the 2022 World Cup for November and December, when it will be noticeably cooler.
While it won't be cold by any stretch of the imagination, it will be more suitable for play.
The normal daytime highs begin at 29°C before lowering to 24°C by mid-December, according to Nicholls. The normal overnight lows will begin at 19°C, then dropping to 15°C by mid-December.
Be forewarned, though: Temperatures have spiked to near summer average highs before in November and December. The record high for November is 38°C, while December's is 32.2°C.
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