FIFA has confirmed the stadium air conditioning WAS switched off for England’s bore draw with the USA.
But World Cup chiefs insist they were simply following the policy that has been in place throughout the Qatar 2022 tournament.
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England players were feeling the heat as they drew 0-0 with USACredit: PA
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The Al Bayt Stadium does have the option for the air conCredit: Getty
The groundbreaking climate technology in place at seven of the eight World Cup venues – the exception is the dismountable Stadium 974 opposite the towering skyscrapers of Doha’s West Bay – allows tournament bosses to ensure the same temperature on the pitch at every match.
However, some England players are understood to have complained that they felt much hotter during the match at the Al Bayt Stadium than during the 6-2 thrashing of Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday.
But senior Fifa figures confirmed to SunSport that there were no issues with the air-conditioning and that the procedure that has been in place throughout the tournament was followed.
It was agreed before the tournament that all stadium conditions would be considered on a match-by-match basis.
However, there was an understanding that, in the air-conditioned grounds, the 1pm and 4pm kick-off matches would have the climate set at 24 degrees Celsius.
To ensure consistency, final temperature readings and measurements are taken at the start of the game.
But for the later matches, starting at 7pm and 10pm, Fifa agreed that the air-conditioning would be turned off an hour before the start of play, as long as the stadium temperature at that point was below the 24 Celsius threshold.
Those conditions were met on Friday, when the outside air temperature at kick-off was around 26 Celsius, but only after the air-conditioning had been on for a number of hours ahead of the game to bring the desert heat down.
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There is no question of any complaint being submitted by the FA.
But if England do win Group B they would potentially play their first three knock-out matches back at Al Bayt, all kicking off at 10pm Qatar time.
