Qatar 2022: "We have to stop on 18/12/2022 for the finish (of the World Cup)" (Joseph Blatter)

'We have to stop on 18/12/2022 for the finish (of the World Cup). Not through to 23/12/2022, definitely not. No doubt the FIFA ExCo will make the decision that we will play November-December," said Joseph Blatter, president of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), on the sidelines of the 129^th Annual General Assembly of the IFAB held in Craigavad, near Belfast (Northern Ireland) on 28/02/2015.

During its meeting of 24/02/2015, the FIFA task force on the organisation of international calendar for 2018-2024 has "identified the late November - end of December 2022 period as the most viable for the organisation the 2022 World Cup." Many media outlets reported that the tournament could begin Saturday, 26/11/2022 and end Friday, 23/12/2022, a period of 28 days.

A final Sunday on 18/12/2022 would notably help the Barclays Premier League to organise its traditional "Boxing Day" (scheduled day of the championship on Boxing Day, or in this case Monday, 26/12/2022) with player numbers almost complete, regardless of the national teams in the semi-finals and final of the…