There have been rumours once again doing the rounds that Qatar will be stripped of hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

However, a FIFA source has trashed the reports and said the tournament would indeed go ahead in Doha as planned, reported Gulf Times.

The fake reports had said that the tournament would be handed over to either USA or the UK.

Speculation around the future of the tournament stemmed from a comment on social media released by the Saudi Arabian sports minister and published by a German online news outlet.

Media outlets seized on remarks by Turki Al Sheikh that football’s world governing body was reconsidering whether to let Qatar host the tournament in 2022 and a final decision would be made in September.

But a FIFA insider said: “It’s happening, the World Cup is going to happen in Qatar, of course. Why wouldn’t it?”

“IF FIFA were really going to strip Qatar of the World Cup, do you really think they’d let a Saudi minister put out a statement? So, if FIFA hasn’t made a statement then we’re not going to strip Qatar of the World Cup,” the source was quoted as saying.

Earlier, UAE’s security chief Dhahi Khalfan had claimed the blockade would be called off if Qatar lost its right to World Cup.

“These stories are going to keep happening because there’re so many political things happening over there, and so many different interests. It’s in the interest of some people to have a story like this, maybe not in some other people’s interests,” added the FIFA insider.

“I do not wish for the World Cup to be withdrawn from Qatar. However, if found guilty of any ethical violations, the Qatari government must accept the consequences of their actions,” Turki Al Sheikh wrote on Twitter.

He then speculated that England would make a ‘great host’ and that “I would extremely enjoy watching the World Cup if hosted in England or USA.”

Saudi Arabia-led outlets then promoted the claims, adding that FIFA would announce the withdrawal of the 2022 World Cup from Qatar by the end of the summer, quoting unnamed sources close to Al Sheikh. 

The FIFA denial came days after FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted the 2022 World Cup would be hosted by Qatar as planned.