European MPs want new 2022 World Cup vote

European lawmakers have called on world football's governing body FIFA to revisit the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter announces Qatar as host for the 2022 World Cup. (AAP) Source: Keystone

The parliamentary assembly of the 47-nation Council of Europe has voted in favour of a resolution asking for FIFA to have a fresh election to determine the host of the event.

The council decision is not binding but draws further attention to a scandal that has been increasingly plaguing the governing body.

Qatar's status as FIFA World Cup host has been dogged by controversies over both the rights of construction workers in the country and the bidding process with which it won the right to host the tournament.

However, an investigation by FIFA's independent ethics committee last year cleared Qatar and 2018 host Russia of wrongdoing in the bid processes.

FIFA responded to the resolution by reiterating that its own audit and compliance committee "concluded that there is no legal obligation for FIFA's Executive Committee to revoke either or both of the decisions to award the hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups."

FIFA also claims regular contact with the relevant Qatari authorities regarding workers' rights.

"Our aim is to ensure that the health and safety of the migrant workers is addressed urgently to find a sustainable solution," it said in a statement.