It’s no surprise the top European leagues have responded to changed dates for the World Cup in Qatar by claiming financial compensation, now that Fifa has rejected it (So, they’ve answered the heat problem by moving the World Cup. But to Christmas?, 25 February). Both exist for the sake of money. Where the national team represents its FA (as in England) there will be no support since European players will be fresher before Christmas than in summer. No mention, of course, of the miserable labourers’ conditions, which would justify a boycott.
Rather than make the football season extend through the summer to the detriment of warm weather sports, the Europeans could have a partial solution in scheduling the Champions League and Europa League for when they had expected the World Cup to take place. Locally, the clubs could field only non-international players in the likes of the FA Cup and other tournaments. This would be no more difficult for top clubs than for county cricket clubs having to do without players on central contract, and would make the cup competitions really open. For those who favour a winter break it would be a chance to experience this, even if a little earlier than western Europe would expect.
Realistically we can probably expect a 12-month instead of an 11-month season with the players getting their sunbathing in Qatar for internationals and wherever they can afford it for others.
John Pelling
Coddenham, Suffolk
• I believe I have an answer to the hand-wringing in England about the effect on the league’s winter timetable. Send a team of players picked from one of the lower leagues. They can lose all their first-round games and come home early, leaving the precious Premier League untouched. On the other hand, they might do quite well.
Gavin Elliot
Cuckfield, West Sussex
• Why should a winter World Cup disrupt the 2022-23 season for the FA? The teams that will have the most players on international duty have probably the biggest squads. Let them dig deep into their youth teams and look on this as an opportunity to blood some young players.
Mike Lowcock
Crewe, Cheshire
• Whether it is played in winter or summer (Letters, 26 February) it can only be Qatar’strophy.
John Davies
Flitwick, Bedfordshire
