FAI chief executive John Delaney says the saga over the final date for the 2022 World Cup has been "damaging" to FIFA.

Delaney was speaking today after a task force announced this morning that the tournament will likely be held in November and December - with a final taking place just two days before Christmas.

The Irish soccer chief says it should have been clear from the outset when the World Cup would take place, and insists that the whole episode has damaged FIFA's reputation.

"My take is that it will take place" he said. "Yeah it's been damaging to FIFA, of course it has.

"It's the lack of clarity; if you say, 'we're giving the World Cup to Qatar, we're playing it in November and December' at the start, people know.

"But when you say, 'we're giving it to Qatar and we're going to study now when it's going to be played' - and it goes on for years - that's the damage that's done.

"And it has been damaging to FIFA as a brand, yeah definitely," he added.