The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and it is set to be an exciting tournament for football fans around the world. But some research shows that there will be a big problem of heat issues, as they say that 14 out of 16 venues could get extremely hot during the tournament which could put players, officials and fans at risk. Will FIFA take the necessary steps to ensure everyone’s safety?
Heat Risks at 2026 World Cup Venues
The researchers have raised significant concerns about the heat risk at the 2026 World Cup Venues. They warn that temperatures at 14 out of the 16 stadiums could reach dangerous levels during the tournament.
The research done by Queen’s University Belfast used 20 years of meteorological data and a heat measurement called “Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)”. This measure finds both heat and humidity to assess heat stress. The study shows that only two cities, including Mexico City and Vancouver, are expected to stay below the dangerous WBGT threshold of 28°C. However, the other four towns could experience more extreme conditions, with temperatures reaching as 32°C.
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The temperature will exceed 28°C for more than 80% of days in June and July, especially in high-risk venues like Dallas, Houston and Miami. In these cities, the WBGT often goes above 26° by 10 AM and remains the same until 8 PM for more than half of the days, causing a long period of extreme heat that could put players,o fficials and fans at risk.
These conditions show that there is an urgent need of careful planning and mitigating strategies to point out the heat issues risk at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Recommendations to Reduce Heat Danger
Climate scientist Dr. Donal Mullan and other experts had made some suggestions regarding reducing the risk of extreme heat; the main idea is to avoid scheduling the afternoon games from midday to 6 pm in high-risk venues.Instead they recommend early morning or late evening kickoff times.
Additionally, Cooling breaks, adequate hydration and medical support are essential to protect players, officials and fans. The cities like Miami and Monterrey don’t have air conditioned stadiums that require special attention.
Football Australia Heat policy recommends match delay or postpone matches when the WBGT reaches 28°C which serves as a potential model.
However, FIFA’s current rules are mandatory cooling breaks, leaving rescheduling decisions to the organizer. The world players’ union FIFPRO has criticized this approach saying FIFA should reschedule games when WBGT goes above 32°C to keep everyone safe.
FIFA’s Response and Scheduling Plans
FIFA has promised to prioritize player safety ensuring teams get three full days rest in 103 out of 104 matches. When creating a schedule, FIFA considers several factors such as player health, team travel and broadcasting requirements.
For FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar, the tournament was moved to November and December to avoid the hottest month. However, no plans were made for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in June and July. This has led to concerns regarding the risk to players while playing in high temperatures, which could impact the health and performance of players, officials, and fans.
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