Premier League remains opposed to winter World Cup, despite calls to switch 2022 tournament in Qatar The Premier League today underlined its steadfast opposition to the prospect of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar being switched to the winter despite Sir Dave Richards, the league's chairman, suggesting "common sense would prevail" and the finals moved from their traditional summer date. Richards, speaking at an event in Qatar, claimed that while at present the Premier League - along with the rest of Europe's leading clubs - remain opposed to any tinkering with the established calendar that may well change by the time the 2022 finals come around given due notice. Richards, who steps down as the league's chairman in June, said: "I think they will play [the World Cup] at a time that is proper for football but they will have to speak to the leagues in Europe. The Premier League responded to their chairman's words with a statement. It read: "The Premier League's view remains unchanged. We are opposed to the concept of a winter World Cup for very obvious practical reasons that would impact on all of European domestic football. Support for a switch to the winter has been growing in recent months. Jim Boyce, Britain's Fifa vice president, added his voice to those who believe it will happen, while Jerome Valcke, the world governing body's general secretary, has previously raised the prospect for medical reasons. Daytime temperatures during the Qatari summer can reach 45c. Boyce said: "The World Cup is the greatest event in football and from a spectator point of view it has to be played at a time of year when people can enjoy it in comfort. Many other countries already have a winter break so for them it should not be too problematic. The likelihood of a winter World Cup remains though some way from reality given the strong opposition offered by Europe's leading leagues and clubs. It would entail up to a 60-day interruption of their domestic seasons - much longer than any winter break. If Sepp Blatter, as he has hinted recently, is to run again for the Fifa presidency, and win it, it makes the prospect even less likely. Michel Platini, Uefa's president and the biggest supporter of a switch, is likely to run in the next Fifa election but he does not have wide support outside Europe. This is not the first time Richards has gone off message while on a trip to Qatar. A year ago he accused Fifa and Uefa of stealing football from England before stumbling into a water feature at a reception in a Doha hotel.