2022 World Cup semi-finals revisited as Qatar's winter legacy lingers

France and Spain both reached the 2022 World Cup semi-finals on Qatari soil, with their paths crossing in the last four of a tournament that reshaped the football calendar. The winter scheduling, moved to avoid Qatar's summer heat, disrupted domestic leagues worldwide and set a precedent that continues to echo through fixture planning today (1). Four years on, the knock-on effects of that decision are still being debated as federations look ahead to future tournaments.