( CNN ) -- The prospect of a winter World Cup in 2022 looks set to become a reality after Europe 's football associations voted against holding the tournament in the Qatari summer . All 54 member associations of UEFA , Europe 's governing body , backed the decision at the meeting in Croatia Thursday . `` They all agreed that this competition could not take place in the heat of Qatar in the summer , '' FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce told CNN . `` At the end of the day common sense has to prevail here and I 'm glad at long last common sense has prevailed , '' he added . FIFA , the game 's world governing body , has been considering the option of moving the tournament because of fears that players and fans would be adversely affected by the searing heat , which can reach 122 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer . FIFA President Sepp Blatter recently stated that it would not be feasible to hold a summer World Cup in Qatar and will make a decision on the timing of the tournament at the Executive Committee meeting in Zurich , Switzerland on October 3 and 4 . A winter World Cup would cause chaos with the European domestic season with clubs fearing they could lose out financially . `` What has to happen now is that the people who are involved , including the people from Qatar , they have to sit down and work out a situation that 's going to cause ( as ) minimum ( a ) disruption that can possibly be made to football , '' said Boyce . `` Not only in Europe but throughout the world . `` There are nine years to plan the World Cup and surely with common sense this can be overcome . '' UEFA President Michel Platini , who voted for Qatar , believes a move to January or February would suit his members . `` I was very happy to learn that FIFA president Joseph Blatter wants to move the 2022 World Cup to the winter , something I 've long advocated , '' the Frenchman told the media last month . Platini also rejected claims by the chief executive of the English Premier League , Richard Scudamore , who claimed switching the World Cup was `` well nigh impossible , '' citing disruption to the calendar and the impact on lucrative television deals . He added : `` For 150 years , England has imposed its calendar and we 've respected it . `` So for once , for one month , England could respect another calendar . '' FIFA 's decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar has led to huge criticism with Australian football chiefs threatening legal action . Australia , which lost out to Qatar along with South Korea , the U.S. and Japan , believes it should be compensated if the World Cup is held in the winter rather than the summer . Earlier this week , the Football Federation of Australia laid out its case which it expects FIFA 's Executive Committee to examine . `` An in-principle decision that just and fair compensation should be paid to those nations that invested many millions , and national prestige , in bidding for a summer event , '' it said . `` If there is consensus within the Ex-Co that a change in date should be considered , then a transparent process should be established to examine the scheduling implications for all leagues and a method developed for agreeing appropriate compensation for those affected . '' That case is unlikely to succeed according to a FIFA spokesperson , despite the pressure from the Australian FA . A FIFA spokesperson told CNN : `` As part of the bidding documents all bidders , including the FA Australia , accepted that the final decision regarding the format and dates of the staging of the FIFA World Cup and FIFA though initially expected to be in June/July , remains subject to the final decision of the FIFA Organizing Committee . `` There is no ground for any speculations . ''
UEFA backs plan to move winter to summer Qatar World Cup to winter . UEFA will hold vote February in Zurich to decide on outcome . FIFA president Michel Platini has suggested a January or January time frame . Australia wants compensation for switch from winter to summer .