FIFA moves closer to winter World Cup in Qatar

ZURICH - FIFA is targeting two options for holding Qatar's 2022 World Cup in the winter.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke says "we are getting closer to narrowing the dates" to January-February 2022 or November-December 2022 to avoid the summer heat in Qatar.

European clubs want the tournament moved to April-May.

Qatar organizing committee head Hassan Al Thawadi says winter is "the ideal situation (for) an all-inclusive" tournament.

The January-February option remains in play despite FIFA President Sepp Blatter's insistence that the World Cup will not clash with the 2022 Winter Olympics.

FIFA says the panel will meet early next year to assess the proposals made at Monday's meeting.

FIFA's executive committee could decide on the World Cup dates in March.