The Council of Europe could ask that the 2022 World Cup bidding process be re-run, putting increasing pressure on the governing body to take action

Fifa’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar is set to be cast under a further spotlight, with leading lawmakers likely to ask for the bidding process to be re-run.

Qatar was announced to have presented the winning bid in December 2010, but reports of human rights abuses and migrant worker deaths have steeped pressure on Fifa to reallocate the finals tournament.

Furthermore, the decision to move the competition from its traditional June-July time slot to November and December to combat the extreme summer weather in the country has drawn immense criticism.

And the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has now announced that it will discuss the possibility of petitioning Fifa to order a re-vote at its meeting on Thursday.

The decision comes after the Council of Europe received a report uncovering apparent illegal payments related to Qatar’s successful bid.

Part of the report’s findings come from a Sunday Times inquiries which unearthed around €4 million of cash payments from former Qatari FA and AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam in the favour of football administrators across the globe.

While the increased opposition to Qatar’s status as host will add to the pressure placed on Fifa of late, the Council of Europe has no official jurisdiction over world football’s governing body.