Qatar 2022 World Cup final to take place on 18 December

The final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will take place on 18 December, Fifa have confirmed.

The date was agreed during a meeting between Fifa's executive committee members in Zurich on 19 March.

A statement from world football's governing body read: "The Executive Committee today confirmed that the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be staged in November/December with the final to be on 18 December 2022, Qatar's National Day.

"In principle, it was agreed that the tournament should be played over a reduced time frame, for instance 28 days.

"The working group for the international match calendar will meet in due course to finalise the international match calendar for the 2019-2022 cycle."

The Premier League is expected to resume with a full schedule of fixtures on Boxing Day just eight days later.

Earlier in 2015, a task force set up by world football's governing body recommended the competition should take place in November and December due to the summer heat in Qatar, when the temperature can exceed 40C.

The competition is also set to be shorted to 28 days rather than its usual 32 with the final taking place on Qatar's national holiday.

Uefa had previously pushed for the final to take place on 23 December. However that suggestions was dismissed by Fifa members amid concerns over players and fans getting home in time for Christmas.

That view was shared by Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who said last month: "The World Cup will not go on until the 23rd, definitely not, we have to stop at the 18<sup>th.

"I am against going to the 23rd."

The formal announcement of the decision is expected on Friday 20 March.

Fifa has also selected France to host the 2019 women's World Cup ahead of South Korea.