Qatar World Cup report reveals FIFA’s position on “Winter World Cup”

The FIFA Medical Committee reviewed the medical report for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which was held for the first time during the winter season from November 20 to December 18.

The figures and statistics related to players’ injuries and their types were decisive regarding FIFA’s position on re-organizing the World Cup during the winter season in the future.

Sky News Arabia obtained a copy of the medical report for the 2022 World Cup, which was prepared by the FIFA Medical Committee.

The FIFA report revealed the following:

• A noticeable increase in muscle injuries, which amounted to 29% of the injuries recorded among the players, compared to 24% in the previous version, due to the stress that the players were exposed to as a result of the large number of participation in local tournaments, and the lack of a long rest before the start of the World Cup, such as resting Which was given to players during the World Cup in the summer, and after the end of the local tournaments.
• The report revealed an increase in the percentage of hook injuries, which was estimated at 16%, while it did not exceed 10% in the 2014 World Cup.
• The percentage of players who were forced by injury to miss more than a month from playing matches increased by 19%, while the percentage in previous World Cups did not exceed 15% in the 2014 edition.

Will the Winter World Cup be repeated?

• The medical report for the 2022 World Cup reveals the strong tendency within FIFA not to repeat the experience of holding the World Cup in the winter season, to preserve the safety of the players, avoid muscle injuries, and avoid fatigue of the teams due to the crowding of participations and entitlements with clubs and teams, which negatively affects the safety of the players. The FIFA Medical Committee relies on the report of the 2022 World Cup, in the recommendation that it will submit to the General Assembly of the International Federation of Football Associations during its next meeting.

Positive reports for the “medical mouse”

• Despite the negative indicators of muscle injuries revealed in the 2022 World Cup report, the “medical mouse” technology, which was applied for the first time in the World Cup in Qatar, provided positive reports that give rise to optimism about the ability to protect players from serious injuries during matches, including those related to head injury.