Germany have called on FIFA to explain what impact Tuesday's announcement that the 2022 World Cup is set to be held in November and December will have on European football.
A taskforce from world football's governing body FIFA has recommended the 2022 finals in Qatar should be played in November and December - right in the middle of the European season.
The switch comes down to common sense as June and July temperatures in Qatar can exceed 40 Celsius, while they drop to around 25C in November and December.
The proposal, which includes shortening the tournament by a few days and holding the World Cup final on December 23, is set to be ratified by FIFA's executive committee in Zurich on March 19/20.
But the German Football League's (DFL) boss has said FIFA must now prove that a winter World Cup is viable.
"FIFA now has to demonstrate how a solution will work looking at all aspects of the proposal," said DFL boss Andreas Retting.
"Holding the World Cup in these months represents not only an organisational, but a financial burden for the European leagues, so the suggestion of a timeframe alone is not enough.
"We also have to look at the load put on the top players.
"A shortened event cannot mean the same number of matches are played in a shorter amount of time."
Wolfgang Niersbach, the president of the German Football Association (DFB), echoed Retting's sentiments.
"Now the schedulers are being asked to find the best possible solution, which will certainly not be easy, but also not impossible," he said.
"It is hard to get used to the idea that a World Cup final could be held just before Christmas."
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of the European Clubs Association, added that European clubs and leagues cannot be expected to bear the costs for any rescheduling.
"We expect the clubs to be compensated for the damage that a final decision would cause," said the Bayern Munich chairman.
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