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Agencies
MOSCOW
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played between November 21 and December 18, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed on Friday.
The next edition of the tournament will switch to the winter months, he said.
"The dates for the World Cup are set. It will be played in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022," the FIFA boss said.
"The leagues are all aware and they will have to adapt their calendars accordingly. In the end, it is the right decision. It cannot be played in June and July. In November and December, the players will be very well prepared as it is almost the beginning of the season."
In recent months, Infantino has supported calls to add 16 more teams to the 2022 tournament. Infantino said Qatar can insist on keeping a 32-team format, though he is"pretty sure that all options will be on the table".
"In the coming months, we will meet with them and reach a decision. For the moment, it will be played with 32 teams and the distribution of spots will remain as they are," he said.
"First we will discuss with the Qataris and then with the FIFA Council and stakeholders and decide calmly what the decision is. For the moment, we have a World Cup with 32 teams."
Meanwhile, Infantino thanked the Russian people and government for what he described as the"best World Cup" ever.
"For a couple of years, I have been saying this would be the best World Cup ever. Today I can say it with more conviction because I lived it and you lived it. It is the best World Cup ever," said Infantino, two days ahead of the final between France and Croatia.
Infantino told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Kremlin last week that the world"all fell in love with Russia," over the past four weeks and repeated his praise for Putin's government and the organisation put in place for the tournament.
More than one million foreign fans have visited Russia during the World Cup, according to FIFA figures.
