Fifa President Gianni Infantino has insisted fans keep an "open mind" about future winter World Cups, even suggesting to move Premier League fixtures to accommodate the move in a public speech.
Speaking at the European Football Clubs' general assembly in Rome, Infantino revealed that discussions are already happening about restructuring football's calendar.
"We are already into the nitty-gritty, we are discussing all the time," he said.
The Fifa boss argued that if football wants matches played simultaneously across the globe, March or October would work best.
Fifa's president Gianni Infantino has insisted fans keep an "open mind" about future winter World Cups, even suggesting to move Premier League fixtures to accommodate the move in a public speech
| REUTERS"In December you cannot play in one part of the world and in July you cannot play in another part," he explained.
He's calling for an "open mind" about when major tournaments take place, suggesting it's time to rethink the established schedule.
Perhaps most surprisingly, Infantino suggested that European leagues like the Premier League could shift to June - a month he called "the best month to play football" that's "not used very much in Europe."
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Fifa President Gianni Infantino said: 'In December you cannot play in one part of the world and in July you cannot play in another part'
| PAHe was quick to insist this isn't just about accommodating Middle Eastern tournaments, though.
"It's not just about one World Cup - it's a general reflection," he said, pointing out that even some European countries get extremely hot in July.
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, where summer temperatures regularly hit 40°C in Riyadh. The 2022 Qatar tournament moved to December to avoid the heat.
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But Infantino maintained his proposals are about improving football globally.
"We need to consider all these elements when we speak about national team competitions, national team release, about club competitions, and see how we can make it better for the benefit of everyone."
The Fifa president told delegates in Rome that football needs to examine every aspect of the calendar. "Maybe there are ways we can optimise the calendar. We are discussing. We have to have an open mind," he said.
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Gianni Infantino led the first winter World Cup in 2022, located in Qatar and won by Argentina
|PA
His comments come as the international match calendar remains fixed until 2030. Next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will stick to the traditional June and July schedule.
The 2030 tournament will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with special matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay marking a century since the first World Cup.
Infantino argued that global climate differences make it impossible to find a perfect time for everyone, suggesting football needs to adapt rather than stick rigidly to tradition.
The shift to winter football isn't new - Qatar's 2022 World Cup took place in December to dodge the extreme heat. That tournament forced the entire club schedule to pause and reshuffle.
This summer's Club World Cup in the United States faced serious heat problems, with temperatures hitting a record 39°C in New York.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, whose team won the tournament, called it "a joke" after matches were repeatedly suspended due to weather conditions.
"In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero probably. In Europe how many games get suspended? Zero," Maresca said, questioning whether America was the right venue.
Despite these issues, Infantino praised the Club World Cup as "a huge success from every possible angle," citing 2.5 million spectators and average attendances of 40,000.