The 2022 World Cup will not be held in Qatar because of the scorching temperatures in the Middle East country, Fifa executive committee member Theo Zwanziger said on Monday.

"I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar," the German told Sport Bild on Monday. "Medics say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions," the former German football (DFB) chief, who is now a member of the world soccer's governing body Fifa that awarded the tournament to Qatar in 2010.

Cancellation of the tournament will have an impact on the country's economy, particularly the construction sector, since Qatar is planning spend up to $100 billion on infrastructure projects to support the tournament.

Although Qatar has insisted that a summer World Cup is viable thanks to cooling technologies it is developing for stadiums, training areas and fan zones, there is still widespread concern over the health of the players and visiting supporters.

"They may be able to cool the stadiums but a World Cup does not take place only there," Zwanziger said.

"Fans from around the world will be coming and travelling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor.

"That is not something that Fifa Exco members want to answer for."

Fifa are looking to shift the tournament to a European winter date to avoid the scorching summer where temperatures routinely rise over 40 degree Celsius.

However, talk of a potential change away from the usual June-July dates has resulted in plenty of opposition from domestic leagues around the world, worried the schedule switch would severely disrupt them.

Both Fifa and Qatar World Cup organisers have also been fending off questions of corruption ever since Qatar was awarded the tournament back in 2010, while the country has also been criticised for the conditions provided for migrant workers. – Reuters