From the beginning, Senegal-Netherlands was supposed to be the opening match of the World Cup on November 21.
If Fifa's proposal goes through, Qatar's meeting with Ecuador will instead be the opening match on November 20, a match that was originally supposed to be played as the third match in the championship on November 21).
"The factor that the opening match is played with the organizer or the champion can be considered to have significant significance from a cultural, ceremonial, cultural and commercial point of view," writes Fifa in an email that the New York Times has seen.
Final decision not taken
The host nation has opened every World Cup since 2006, before that the reigning champion played the first match.
Why the original schedule did not include Qatar in the opening match is unclear, nor exactly when a final announcement will be made.
But according to the Reuters news agency, the proposal, which Uefa and the five other confederations will vote on together with Fifa president Gianni Infantino, is expected to win sufficient support.
WC final December 18
In that case, it would mean that a large number of supporters and media would have to change their plans, but it is something that Fifa has taken into account.
"FIFA has considered the commercial and legal implications of the proposal - including the agreements written with the media, sponsors, ticket holders and hotels - as well as how it affects traveling fans, and has concluded that these risks do not outweigh the value and merit of our proposal ”, it says in the email that the New York Times has seen.
The Reuters news agency also has this information.
The WC in Qatar ends with the final on December 18.