INQUIRER Sports

KUALA LUMPUR-- Qatar Tuesday moved to allay concerns that it will be too hot to play the 2022 World Cup in the Gulf, saying it planned to use modern technologies to cool down stadiums.

"We are putting in some new technologies to keep the stadiums cool," Qatar 2022 bid chief executive Hassan Al Thawadi told reporters here, while refusing to elaborate on what he meant.

Heat is one of the main concerns surrounding Qatar's bid with temperatures averaging around 41 Celsius (105 Fahrheit) in June and July when the World Cup finals are played.

Al Thawadi, nevertheless, said Qatar had a "good chance of winning the bid," with all the infrastructure in place to satisfy FIFA requirements.

"During the 30-day tournament, fans need not worry about seeking new accommodation to watch matches. They can remain in one place and travel to and fro," he said, referring to stadiums being close together in the small country.

Qatar hosted the Asian Games in 2006 and also plays host to the Asian Cup finals in 2011, although it will be held in January when the temperatures drop.

FIFA's 24-man executive committee will decide the 2018 and 2022 hosts in December 2010.

Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Netherlands-Belgium, Russia, and Spain-Portugal have bid to host both World Cups, while Qatar and South Korea are only interested in 2022.

England and Spain are viewed as the leading contenders for 2018, while the United States is seen as a top candidate for 2022.

Al Thawadi said that if Qatar secured the World Cup, it would be an historic event with no Gulf country hosting the event before.

He said it would be an opportunity to foster better relations between Arab people and the rest of the world.

"It will be an historic event. Hosting the World Cup in the Middle East will allow fans from the East and West to share and enjoy their cultures and the sport," he said.

Meanwhile, Frank Lowy, chairman of Football Federation Australia, said he would continue to mount aggressive campaigns to host either of the tournaments.

"We are ready, for sure, no doubt about it. We will be very vigorously going for the one and if not the other. We prefer 2018 but we will take 2022," he said.

South Africa hosts the next World Cup in 2010, followed by Brazil in 2014.