Football’s global players’ union renewed concerns about the heat at the 2026 World Cup on Thursday, after scientists warned that the risk of dangerous temperatures for players and fans has sharply increased.
An analysis by climate research group Attribution of world weather found that about a quarter of the 104 matches at the expanded tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada are likely to be played in conditions exceeding FIFPRO’s recommended safety limits, almost twice the risk observed during the 1994 World Cup in the US.
About five matches could take place in conditions considered unsafe, with postponements advised, the researchers said.
Scientists assessed the risk using start times and the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, which measures how effectively the body can cool itself.
“The calculations to estimate the likelihood of FIFA World Cup matches being played under high WBGT conditions in 2026 are in line with FIFPRO’s calculations published in 2023,” said FIFPRO’s Medical Director, Vincent Gouttebarge.
“These estimates justify the need for – and implementation of – a range of mitigation strategies to better protect the health and performance of players when exposed to hot conditions.”
FIFPRO recommends cooling measures when the WBGT rises above 26 degrees Celsius and says matches should be postponed if temperatures rise above 28 degrees Celsius, which equates to approximately 38 degrees Celsius in dry heat or 30 degrees Celsius in high humidity.
That’s what FIFA said Reuters that it has implemented heat risk planning, with measures such as three-minute hydration breaks in each half, cooling infrastructure for fans and players, adapted work-rest cycles and enhanced medical preparedness that can be scaled based on real-time conditions.
“FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff,” the global governing body said in a statement.
‘MORE CONSERVATIVE FOOTBALL’
Chris Mullington, an anesthetist at Imperial College London NHS Trust and clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London, said extreme heat is more likely to affect the way games are played than cause widespread medical emergencies among players.
“It will be more of a performance issue than a health issue,” he said. «These players are top athletes and acclimatized. You will see that players follow their own pace. That behavioral thermoregulation is very difficult to circumvent. So you can end up with more conservative football.»
According to the analysis, cooling systems are expected to reduce some of the risk at three of the sixteen host sites.
However, more than a third of matches with at least a 10 percent chance of exceeding 26 C WBGT are scheduled in non-air-conditioned stadiums, including Miami, Kansas City, New York and Philadelphia.
That includes the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where there is now a one-in-eight chance of exceeding the 26°C threshold and a roughly 3 percent risk of reaching the more dangerous level — about double the risk that would have been posed in 1994, the analysis said.
Friederike Otto, professor of climate science at Imperial College London, said the findings highlight the need for FIFA to reconsider when to schedule future World Cup events, especially in regions vulnerable to extreme summer heat.
“From a health point of view, it would be advisable to hold these (World Cups) earlier or later in the year so that you can have a football celebration instead of ‘something that is a huge health risk for the whole city,’” Otto said.
FIFPRO also warned that while air-conditioned stadiums in cities such as Dallas and Houston can help protect players, fans attending matches and outdoor fan festivals could remain exposed to prolonged periods of dangerous heat.
Published on May 14, 2026
