Qatar WC games could start at 13:00 local time

City $5 mIn winners from WC hand-out

DOHA, Dec 4, (Agencies): World Cup matches in Qatar could kick-off as early as 1000 GMT if it holds four games a day during the 2022 tournament group stage, organizers confirmed Tuesday.

The other three games would start at 1300, 1600 and 1900 GMT, Nasser al-Khater, assistant secretary general for the World Cup organizing body the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, told local broadcaster, Qatar Television.

Qatar’s World Cup has an extra time pressure as it will be squeezed into 28 days, rather the usual 32 days, following its switch to November and December 2022 from the traditional months of June and July.

That pressure could increase further, as FIFA is looking into increasing the number of teams in 2022 from 32 to 48.

Khater added that building work at four of the proposed eight stadiums would be completed by the end of next year.

In addition to the already refurbished Khalifa Stadium, Al-Wakrah, Al-Bayt, and Al-Rayyan will all be finished in 2019, he said.

Reporters were allowed to view AlBayt on Tuesday, which is 56 kilometres (35 miles) from the capital Doha and will be the most northerly stadium at Qatar’s tournament. The stadium’s design is based on the traditional Bedouin tent in Qatar, Bayt Al Sha’ar.

Al-Khater

English champions Manchester City are the biggest beneficiaries from the $209 million handed out by FIFA to clubs who released players for the 2018 World Cup, the global soccer body said.

City will receive $5.0 million, ahead of Real Madrid ($4.81 million), Tottenham Hotspur ($4.38 million), Barcelona ($4.14 million) and Paris St Germain ($3.89 million), FIFA said.

They are followed by Chelsea, Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and AS Monaco.

In all, English clubs – including those from the lower tiers – will receive $37.41 million between them while Spanish clubs will receive $22.56 million, German clubs $18.92 million and Italian clubs $17.45 million.

FIFA pays clubs a basic amount of $8,530 per day for every player released

Luiz Felipe Scolari has been offered a job as Colombia’s national team coach, the former Brazil, Portugal and Chelsea manager said.

Scolari, who led Palmeiras to Brazil’s Serie A title last month, said he was mulling over the offer to replace Jose Pekerman, who resigned after Colombia were knocked out the World Cup by England in the second round.

“There has been an approach, yes,” Scolari said in an interview with ESPN Brasil. “It is a role which, now that the season is over, we can think about more clearly.”