• Union says 20-minute pause could be ‘significant’

• Temperatures at tournament have exceeded 40C

Half-time breaks should be extended to 20 minutes in extreme heat, the global players’ union has said. Fifpro is calling for extra measures to protect footballers after what it describes as the “wake-up call” of the Club World Cup, which has been plagued by extreme temperatures over the past two weeks.

Fifa protocols allow for a cooling break lasting for three minutes in each half if temperature thresholds are exceeded. According to Fifpro’s medical director, Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, an extended half-time break would provide a necessary additional tool in helping to keep players’ core temperatures within their normal range.

• Spain and Morocco, jointly, and Brazil also interested in hosting

• Winter event would disrupt European domestic seasons

Qatar has expressed interest in bidding to host the 2029 Club World Cup, in a move that would involve moving the tournament to the winter. The Guardian has learned that Qatari representatives have held talks with Fifa officials at the highest level during the tournament in the US and indicated a desire to stage the next edition in four years’ time.

Qatar is understood to have said it could host a carbon-neutral tournament in stark contrast to the current Club World Cup, which has involved teams flying all over the US, with venues in 11 cities.