A scheduling change away from winter soccer could be coming to Europe, according to Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Rummenigge, who is also chairman of the 207-member European Club Association that lobbies for the rights of European clubs, told France Football magazine that it made no sense that European clubs played in mid-winter.
"Everywhere, be it Germany, France or England, summer is the best period of the year. And that is the season we don't play," Rummenigge said. "In deepest winter, when it is very cold and snowing, we play nearly all the time in conditions that are disagreeable for both players and spectators. It is not logical."
Rummenigge said Fifa and Uefa were "seriously thinking" about an overhaul of the soccer calendar so European leagues would open in January and wrap up at the end of autumn.
"My sense is that we are heading straight in this direction," the former West Germany international was quoted as saying of possible January-autumn European leagues.
Asked whether soccer's traditional summer break could be abandoned, Rummenigge replied: "It's completely possible, even if this idea does not thrill our friends in South America."
How many games are we going to let the weather spoil, every year, before we revisit this issue DISPASSIONATELY? Even the footballing powers that be are starting to see the logic.