Hosting a FIFA World Cup is a tremendous challenge. The eyes of the world are on the host country of the event, especially if this great tournament will be held under unprecedented circumstances throughout its 92-year history.
Qatar 2022 will have the honor and also a double responsibility. It will be the first time that a World Cup will be held in the Middle East: it has been played before in Asia, when Korea and Japan staged the first co-hosting of the tournament in 2002, and in Africa, under the umbrella of South Africa in 2010.
Also, for the first time in history, the FIFA World Cup will not be played in the middle of the year; the latest World Cup that had been held on the calendar was in Uruguay 1930 and England 1966, when the last day of activities was July 30. Qatar 2022 will be held from November 20to December 18.
The weather in Qatar 2022, one of the main novelties of the World Cup
Holding FIFA’s most prestigious tournament in Qatar posed the challenge of having to face a climate that was not very favorable for a sport as intenseas soccer. That is why a controversial decision had to be made that demanded firmness and fortitude to defend the working conditions of soccer players.
Due to the high summer temperatures in the host country of the upcoming World Cup 2022, FIFA decided to move the tournament to the end of the year. A difficult and controversial decision, as the entire soccer world will have to adapt their calendars to ensure that their players are in optimal conditions to play this tournament.
A road to Lusail Stadium in Qatar. (Matthew Ashton/AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)
What is the type of climate in Qatar?
Basically, Qatar’s climate is desert-like, so the only two seasons that are really experienced are winter and summer. Winter lasts three months, from December to February, while summer covers the remaining 9 months of the calendar (March to November).
Therefore, it is common for Qatar to experience a phenomenon that complicates the practice of high-performance physical activity during most of the year: the combination of heat, sometimes very high temperatures, and humidity on certain occasions. This opens the door to fatal episodes due to the famous “heat stroke”.
Media men working at Khalifa International Stadium. (Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
What temperatures does Qatar reach during the summer?
Had they been played during the summer, some Qatar 2022 matches could easily have taken place in sweltering temperatures between 113 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit. A climate that is simply untenable for the players to give their maximum effort without a high risk of suffering any deterioration to their health.
In addition, to the above mentioned, it is very possible that during the Qatari summer another typical climatic phenomenon of the region, “the Chamal”, a very powerful wind, which runs in gusts, and that can generate the famous dust and sand storms.
A replica of the FIFA World Cup Trophy in Qatar’s desert. (Nadine Rupp/Getty Images)
What weather is expected during the winter in Qatar 2022?
FIFA’s intention is that during the upcoming World Cup, players, media representatives, and fans can have an enjoyable experience during the event. The formers will be able to carry out their work safely and with guarantees and the latter will enjoy themselves to the fullest. At least the winter weather would help in that sense.
The highest temperatures in Qatar during the December to February time period reach a maximum of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, which, while representing a significant degree of heat, is still something that can be tolerated.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. (Peter Kneffel/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Temperature and humidity in Qatar throughout the months of the year
Below you will find the list with the maximum and minimum temperatures and the percentage of humidity that usually occur during all months of the year in Qatar. An exercise that serves to justify FIFA’s decision to play the World Cup at the end of the year. The data was collected from World Weather Online.
January – 71° to 62° – 58 % of humidity
February -73° to 64° – 56 % of humidity
March -80° to 68° – 50% of humidity
April – 87° to 77° – 44 % of humidity
May – 96° to 86° – 38 % of humidity
June – 102° to 89° – 37 % of humidity
July -104° to 91° – 43 % of humidity
August -104° to 91° – 48 % of humidity
September -102° to 87° – 50 % of humidity
October – 95° to 82° – 52 % of humidity
November -84° to 75° – 56 % of humidity
December -75° to 66° – 60 % of humidity
