President Sepp Blatter had already said that the showpiece tournament could only take place in November and December if it was to be moved from its traditional slot in June and July to avoid the searing heat in the Gulf, as he promised the event would not clash with that year's Winter Olympics - which are likely to be held in the February.

However, Qatar 2022 - which was awarded the competition in 2010 - had remained hopeful that it could host the World Cup in the summer with the introduction of air-cooling technology in each venue.

But Valcke has now completely ruled out the prospect, insisting that the matches will be played between November 15 and January 15.

"The dates of the World Cup will not be in June or July," he told France Inter Radio.

"I think it will be played between November 15 and January 15 the latest.

"If you play between November 15 and, let's say, the end of December, it's the time when the weather is the most favourable."

The average temperature in the summer months in Qatar can reach up to 45°C ©Getty Images




FIFA did, however, quickly move to play down Valcke's comments, claiming that he had only been expressing "his view".

It also stressed that no final decision on the dates for the World Cup will be made until after Brazil 2014 and only after a thorough consultation process involving all stakeholders.

European Professional Football League (EPFL) chair Frédéric Thiriez also added his voice to reiterate that "nothing new under the sun" had been revealed by Valcke.

"In my capacity as chairman of the EPFL, I had the opportunity to meet with President Blatter this morning in Zurich in the presence of Jérôme Valcke," he insisted.

"I can easily confirm to you that FIFA's position as to the timing of the 2022 World Cup has not changed since its Executive Committee [meeting] of last October 3: a wide consultation process and no hasty decision, as the EPFL had requested."

UEFA already offered its backing to a winter World Cup when its members agreed at its Executive Committee meeting last year that matches could not be played in the Arab state during the summer because of the heat.

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