Qatar World Cup matches could be split into thirds

Al Shamal Stadium, one of the nine new stadiums planned for Qatar. Image: supplied.

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FIFA ‘guidance’ could allow games at the Qatar 2022 World Cup finals to be split into three 30-minute ‘thirds’ rather than the traditional 45-minute halves due to dangerous heat levels, according to an engineer who has worked on cooling systems for the Gulf state’s stadiums.

Arup Associates director Michael Beavon told delegates at the Qatar Infrastructure Conference in the UK that FIFA guidelines stipulated that matches played in temperatures of over 32C would be played in thirds to allow players to rehydrate.

“There is a moderate risk of heat injury to the players between 24C-29C but if you go above that you have high and extreme risk of injury,” Beavon said, in remarks quoted by Reuters.

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“The one thing FIFA do say, although it is for guidance, is if it’s 32C they will stop a match and play three 30-minute thirds rather than two 45-minute halves.

“The reason would be to re-hydrate the players before they could carry on playing. That of course would play havoc with TV schedules and those kind of things,” Beavon added.

Arup helped develop the zero-carbon solar technology that will help cool the 12 stadiums that Qatar is building to host the tournament.

However, a FIFA spokesman told Reuters: “This possibility has not been discussed. In any case, this would require a change in the laws of the game and therefore would have to be analysed and approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in the first place.”

Qatar was awarded the World Cup in December last year, and is spending an estimated $57bn on infrastructure to ensure that it is ready to host the tournament in a decade’s time.