Qatar should have bid for joint Gulf World Cup tournament – Prince Ali

Qatar should have bid for a winter World Cup co-hosted in the Gulf, according to FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali of Jordan.

Speaking at The Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, the prince said the 2022 tournament, which has attracted controversy due to Qatar’s high summer temperatures and treatment of migrant workers, should have been shared with other GCC states.

“With World Cups you should have the ability to spread it around the region. Qatar should have bid for the winter in the first place and that it hosts it regionally with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which would be more feasible and easier to organise,” he said, according to reports.

The prince, who stood against outgoing president Sepp Blatter in May this year, also called for true democracy in FIFA.

The organisation was hit by a corruption scandal shortly after Blatter’s reappointment. He stepped down only days later in what is the biggest crisis in the football governing body’s history.

Prince Ali suggested Blatter should take responsibility for the organisation’s failings, although the Swiss national has denied any wrongdoing.

“No matter what you do, you can’t bring back the reputation if things happen under your watch.”

He also indicated the outgoing president won through intimidation and scare tactics.

The prince has vowed to “save” the body and plans to stand for FIFA president on February 26 next year alongside UEFA president Michel Platini and South Korea’s Chung Mong-joon

Prince Ali’s comments came prior to the announcement that both United States and Swiss authorities are due to speak later today to provide further details of their investigations into FIFA.

Details surrounding previous tournaments and the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes are expected to be revealed.