What will be the temperature in Qatar 2022? Are the World Cup 2022 stadiums air-conditioned?

The 2022 Qatar World Cup will be a breakthrough in many ways when the first goal kicks off at the Al Bayt Stadium on November 21.

The World Cup 2022 will take place in winter due to (too) high temperatures. But how hot is Qatar/Doha? During summer, Qatar can easily reach 40/41 degrees Celsius. These are incredibly warm temperatures, so it really makes sense to move to winter to organize such a big football game. The main reason for the relocation of the event was for the benefit of the football game, the interests of the players, and the protection of Qatar's many tourists during this period. In November/December, when the World Cup is going on, soccer is more bearable.

Qatar 2022 will be held in the Middle East as part of FIFA's commitment to hosting a major tournament in the region, bringing the biggest international football event to the Arab world for the first time.

However, the decision to award a World Cup to Qatar was not made without different voices, with the move to a major structural change to the end-of-year competition provoking plenty of controversies.

Tournament organizers, backed by the world governing body FIFA, confirmed early in the hosting process that the traditional June-July matches would not be played.

MORE: Travel to Qatar-home of the 2022 World Cup

• What will be the Qatar temperature in World Cup 2022?

In the traditional June-July game window, winter games are inevitable as the mercury rises to uncomfortable levels.

But players and fans will still face hot and humid conditions when the game starts, even in Qatar's winter.

The average temperature in the area will still remain around 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) when the game begins, and the event host will have to make major adjustments to accommodate a game that will have players and fans traveling from around the world.

• Why is Qatar awarded as the host of World Cup 2022?

In the 2010 final vote, Qatar was selected by FIFA ahead of bids from Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter - who has been banned from corruption charges - said at the time that the decision created a link between Arab countries and a bridge to the West through football.

"The Arab world deserves a World Cup," Blatter said in 2010. "They have 22 countries and they haven't had any chance of hosting a World Cup before."

However, the decision has not been made without controversy. Qatar finds itself facing criticism from human rights groups, with a focus on the conditions surrounding foreign workers who are building many of the state-of-the-art stadiums.

Corruption allegations in the tender process have also marred this accumulation. Qatar has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and FIFA's investigation found no evidence to the contrary, although US prosecutors were also involved.

For the first time in history, the 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by three countries, with Canada, Mexico, and the United States sharing responsibility.

• Why is the World Cup 2022 taking place in November and December?

The main reason for moving the game to Qatar's winter months is the total impracticality of playing football in the summer in the region.

The average temperature is too high to do that, and players and fans are unlikely to be physically present during the month-long game.

Despite widespread opposition to moving the World Cup to the end of the year, Qatari officials have consistently said it was a key part of their bid to host the competition, a decision that FIFA approved in 2018 after a feasibility study of the final plan.

The Qatar Stars League is traditionally held from August to April, and the average temperature at the end of the domestic season is already around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). June-July is hotter, with an average temperature of about 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius).

• Do World Cup stadiums have air conditioning?

One major adjustment Qatari officials will have to make is to ensure that all eight stadiums participating in the game are air-conditioned.

Despite concerns about the ability of coolers to drastically reduce the temperature of open-air stadiums, each venue is equipped with a specially designed cooling system to combat the heat. 

Developed in conjunction with Qatar University, the technology uses solar energy to power fans that draw in outside air and cool it.

Dr. Saud Abdulaziz Abdul Ghani, a professor of mechanical engineering at Qatar University, nicknamed "Dr. Cool", spearheaded the project and will be involved in efforts to ensure a full rollout at all eight venues before the opening game.

In an interview with FIFA.com, Dr. Sol revealed: "We are not just cooling the air, we are cleaning the air.

"We're cleaning the air for spectators. For example, people with allergies won't have a problem in our stadiums because we have the cleanest, purest air there.

"Pre-cooled air enters through grilles built into the stands and large nozzles next to the pitch. Using air circulation technology, the cooled air is then drawn back, re-cooled, filtered, and pushed out where needed."

MORE: Stadiums cooling method for World Cup 2022