European clubs want Qatar 2022 World Cup in Spring

According to BBC Sport, Europe's leading clubs will next week ask Fifa to hold the Qatar 2022 World Cup between 28 April and 29 May.

Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010 but an inquiry over moving games from the hot summer months has been ongoing.

The European Club Association (ECA), includes Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Key details of the ECA proposal include starting the 2021-22 season two weeks early and playing the latter stages of the FA Cup after the World Cup final.

With the World Cup final scheduled for 29 May, this would result in English football's premier domestic cup competition finishing in June.

The ECA, which represents 214 of the continent's biggest teams, believes this approach, which could also affect domestic cup competitions in France and Spain, offers the least disruption.

However, Uefa would prefer the Qatar World Cup to be played in January and February 2023, given their opposition to the range of dates currently under examination.

That option remains unlikely, having been previously dismissed by Fifa officials, who say the World Cup host agreement demands that the tournament is played within the calendar year of 2022.

In contrast, the ECA are confident their proposal ensures there would be no impact on international confederation competitions, such as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Sepp Blatter, president of world governing body Fifa, says he believes November/December 2022 is the ideal date.

This remains the most likely to be adopted, but is opposed within Europe as it would affect the Champions League.

Proposals for January/February 2022 have also been ruled out given an agreement between Blatter and IOC president Thomas Bach that the World Cup will not clash with the Winter Olympics.

Credit: Richard Conway/BBC Sport