Fifpro boss fears players would boycott 2022 Qatar WC if held in summer

The global footballers' union boss has revealed that players could boycott the 2022 World Cup if the tournament is held in the summer.

Temperatures in Qatar can reach 40 degree Celsius between May and September, although FIFA has not set a date for the tournament. Secretary-general Theo van Seggelen said that Fifpro would not allow players' health to be put at risk.

Van Seggelen said that Fifpro would challenge the decision in court and advise the players not to go, adding that they would take all necessary measures, The BBC reported.

Van Seggelen said that he was confident world governing body FIFA would not ignore its own medical advice by staging the tournament in the summer.

In 2010, Qatar won the right to stage the 2022 World Cup, but an inquiry into when the games would be played has been under way for over a year. Europe's biggest clubs want the World Cup to be played in May because a winter tournament would disrupt their domestic leagues.

Van Seggelen said that they are asking too much, and added that the health and safety of the players is always more important than the financial and commercial interests of the clubs. He said that one needs the sponsors to play football, but it cannot be priority number one.