FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes ‘‘resentment’’ of Britain’s special privileges on football’s world governing body may have harmed England’s 2018 World Cup bid.

Last month England gained just two of the 22 FIFA votes as Russia triumphed in the contest to host the tournament.

Blatter, who also gave the clearest indication yet that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played during the winter, pointed to the fact that some FIFA members resent Britain having their own FIFA vice-president and the home nations having separate status.

For historic reasons, the four home associations also represent half of the International FA Board (IFAB), the game’s law-making body.

FIFA members such as Argentina’s Julio Grondona and Trinidad’s Jack Warner have made little secret of their opposition to such special status.

Blatter, speaking to reporters in Doha, Qatar, said: ‘‘I cannot judge why England was so badly disappointed.

They did a good job, a good presentation.

‘‘There must be inside FIFA some reticence to England, perhaps these four associations.

Maybe some resentment because of the privileges.

‘‘Great Britain has a great importance inside FIFA since 1946. They have four national associations inside FIFA and one vice-presidency. They are also 50 per cent of IFAB.

‘‘If you have all these privileges you must handle these in a very intelligent way.’’ Blatter also suggested that the BBC Panorama investigation into FIFA members, screened three days before the vote, may have had an effect.

He added: ‘‘Maybe the lastminute press and television about matters that have already been dealt with could have played a part.’’ Blatter was in Doha ahead of the opening match of the Asian Cup, and he said he expected the 2022 World Cup to be in January instead of June – something that would have a huge impact on domestic football in Europe.

He said: ‘‘We have time to look at this question, it is still 11 years away but we must decide the most adequate period for a successful World Cup.

‘‘When you play football you must protect the main people, the players.’’ Summer temperatures in Qatar can soar to more than 50 degrees Celsius.

Blatter also responded to criticism of FIFA for a lack of transparency by saying the International Olympic Committee is dominated by royalty and handles its finances ‘‘like a housewife’’.

Blatter, himself an IOC member, said: ‘‘Our accounts are open to everyone. The IOC does it like a housewife. She receives some money and she spends some money.

‘‘The IOC is a club. In the 115 members of the IOC, only 45 are directly linked to sport.

If you need to know where in the world you still have princes, princesses and kings, then you go to the list of members of the IOC. You will find a lot of them.’’