FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes it is "not rational" to play the 2022 World Cup in the summer heat of Qatar, where temperatures can hit 50C, BBC Sport reported.
Air-conditioned stadia have been planned, but the Swiss has expressed concerns about the implications for people outside the venues.
"The World Cup is more than just stadiums, it's an array of social and cultural activities,'' he said. "What do we do? It's not rational and reasonable to play in June-July."
Blatter has given varying views on the issue. In January 2011 he said he expected a winter event, but back-tracked on that a month later.
In March, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke argued that the Qatar World Cup could be moved if medical reports highlighted related health risks.
The idea to move the competition away from its traditional time has previously been backed by Uefa leader Michel Platini and world footballers' union FIFPro. It has been proposed that any decision to move to a northern hemisphere winter date should be made by 2015 in order to give national leagues and competitions around the world sufficient time to reorganise their calendars.
Qatar defeated bids from South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States to win a ballot of FIFA's 22 executive members for the right to host the 2022 World Cup. At the same ceremony in December 2010, Russia beat England and joints bids from Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium to host the 2018 event.
