FIFA has confirmed that the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar will be played on Sunday 18 December.

The climax of the winter World Cup will take place a week before Christmas - a decision which FIFA says will allow traditional St Stephen's Day club matches in England to take place.

The 2022 World Cup is to be played in the winter to avoid the fierce heat of June and July, and it will be a shortened tournament over 28 days instead of the usual 32.

Sunday 18 December is also Qatar's national day.

UEFA had pushed for the final to be as late as 23 December but that option attracted opposition from FIFA members who feared it would cause problems for fans and players getting home in time for Christmas, as well as affecting club football's festive programme.

Meanwhile, it is understood FIFA's executive committee in Zurich has chosen France to host the 2019 women's World Cup over South Korea.

"You have enough time to do your Christmas shopping"

UEFA president Michel Platini said the decision was acceptable - but warned that FIFA must now protect four international dates that could be disrupted.

Platini told Press Association Sport: "December 18 is a good date for the final - perhaps December 23 would be too late if you are trying to get all the fans back on December 24. December 18 is fine for UEFA - we can accommodate any changes to the Champions League.

"But FIFA must now protect the international dates for the national associations - there are four international matches that could be affected and those are the lifeblood for the national associations.

"FIFA must look at the international calendar and make sure those dates are protected for the national associations."

He also welcomed the decision to award the women's World Cup to France.

Platini said: "Everyone in France will be very pleased I am sure - and women's football is growing very strongly in the country."

FIFA's director of communications Walter De Gregorio said: "The ExCo decided today that the World Cup as proposed by the task force will be played in November-December, with the final on the 18th of December.

"Based on the proposal of the task force, we're going to try to play in 28 days. That's the decision in principle. Now we have to see with the international match calendar how this might be possible."

He added: "This is for us, an important step. Finally, we know the end of the tournament.

"It's a Sunday and, by the way, it's the national day in Qatar, so it fits perfectly.

"You have enough time to do your Christmas shopping."

The decision to hold it in Qatar was absolutely horrible in the first place. Having it in Winter just asks for a lot of trouble in terms of fixture scheduling and player fatigue. Besides, the World Cup just doesn't feel right having it any other season than in the summer. This World Cup will be very shit.

"You have enough time to do your Christmas shopping"

Now they're just being out right assholes <_<

Not a fan of having the World Cup in December or in Qatar for that matter.

But I'd rather have a World Cup than see it boycotted (however unlikely), so I guess we'll (and the European leagues) just have to live with it.

FIFA as an organization is a sick joke. They're human scum. But I love the World Cup......

FIFA fucking despises the fact that they gave it to Qatar after all the controversy it got after getting the bid, they've said it in so many ways.

Nah they don't despise it. They are jerking off to the fact it's still happening and they got their way. Only FIFA could be accused of obvious corruption and then investigate themselves and be all "LOL we did fuck all wrong". They're a bunch of out of touch morons in charge of the most popular sport.