Radical new plans from Fifa include an initiative to overhaul the calendar of football to make the sport a summer game, according to the Daily Mirror.
With the controversial decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup, and the continuing rumours suggesting that the tournament could be moved to January to combat the extreme heat, the sport’s bosses are mulling over a long-term shift in that direction.
The proposals would mean the Premier League season being played from February to November.
The top leagues from England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France are all firmly against the idea but it is reportedly gathering steam in Fifa circles.
If Qatar is allowed to stage the World Cup in January then a three-year transition period would be needed to realign the world game to fit.
The Daily Mirror reports a source close to Fifa president Sepp Blatter as saying: “Playing football through the summer makes a lot of sense.
“It is an idea that has to be sensibly discussed, with all parties in the game.
“Of course, we are aware of the opposition and that is something we cannot ignore.
“But the idea is something that must be taken seriously and it is not something that can be dismissed out of hand.”
Some European nations already play their league football through the summer months, including the likes of Russia, Finland and the Scandinavian nations.
And Uefa president Michel Platini, a proponent of the summer-game idea for over 10 years, is widely expected to succeed Blatter in 2015.
The as-yet unofficial proposals would reportedly involve the months of November and December being reserved for international qualifiers and tournaments, and January as a worldwide rest period.
A source from the Premier League is quoted as saying: “If that ever actually came on the table, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge would burst a blood vessel – and he would not be the only one.
“It is a completely ridiculous idea.
“Why would you want to trample on our traditions and history, as well as all the other sports that already play in the summer?
“We are not going to let the tail wag the dog. No way.”
Any decision made by Blatter’s new Solutions Committee on the subject of Qatar’s World Cup could be crucial, although many inside Fifa reportedly support a summer game even if the oil-rich state is stripped of the tournament.
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Fifa set to anger clubs by proposing switch to summer football – report