World Cup 2022: Fifa refuse to compensate unhappy European clubs for Qatar winter competition

Fifa see no need to apologise for the proposed winter scheduling of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, warning clubs they will not receive any compensation should the competition go ahead mid-season.

A Fifa task force has recommended the tournament take place in November and December 2022 in a bid to ensure players and spectators are not put at risk during the Qatari climate in its summer months.

The proposal has been met with much protest in Europe, particularly from the Premier League, where domestic leagues would be drastically disrupted, but Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke has urged critics to "just accept it".

He told a press conference in Doha: "There will be no compensation. There are seven years to reorganise. I think we should just accept it. Why should we apologise for the decision made yesterday?

"It is not perfect, we know that – but why are we talking about compensation? It is happening once, we are not destroying football. Why are we screaming and saying it is not possible? It is possible."

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has warned Fifa that European clubs were "very disappointed" with the winter recommendation, while Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the European Club Association, urged football's governing body to consider compensation.

But Valcke disputed their claims, adding a proposed final date two days before Christmas Day was a popular choice among football confederations across the globe. He said: "Most confederations say they want the World Cup to end on 23 December."

Another possible date for the competition's finale could be 18 December, the day of Qatar's national day, which also falls on a Sunday.

A final taking place on 18 December could conceivably allow enough time for the Premier League's busy festive period to go ahead as normal.