UPDATE: FIFA comments, 12.45pm, 8 January 2014
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will not be held in the summer, according to a FIFA executive.
Secretary-general Jerome Valcke made the revelation during an interview with Radio France.
FIFA said that Jerome Valcke was giving his opinion
"The dates for the World Cup (in Qatar) will not be June-July," he said, adding: "To be honest, I think it will be held between 15 November and 15 January at the latest.
"If you play between 15 November and the end of December that's the time when the weather conditions are best, when you can play in temperatures equivalent to a warm spring season in Europe, averaging 25 degrees. therefore it's perfect for football."
However, Valcke's statement is likely to need ratification by FIFA's executive committee and was met with 'total surprise' by Britain's FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce while football's governing body later issued a statement, clarifying Valcke's comments.
He confirmed the decision had to be taken by the executive committee, adding: "As I understand it all the stakeholders will have discussions and report back to the executive committee of FIFA and no final decision will be made on when the 2022 World Cup would be played until December 2014 or March 2015.
"As far as I am concerned that remains the situation and there has been nothing said to me to make that any different."
FIFA's statement said:
"Secretary General Jerome Valcke explained today in the Radio France interview - as he had already mentioned previously - that in his view the 2022 FIFA World Cup must take place in winter and the best possible time frame would be 15 November to 15 January.
"However, the precise event date is still subject to an ongoing consultation process which involves all main event stakeholders, including both the international football community (FIFA, confederations, member associations, leagues, clubs, players) as well as FIFA's commercial partners (commercial affiliates and media rights licensees).
"As the event will not be played until eight years' time the consultation process will not be rushed and will be given the necessary time to consider all of the elements relevant for a decision.
"Consequently, no decision will be taken before the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as agreed by the FIFA executive committee."
