Will Extreme Heat Impact This Summer’s FIFA Soccer World Cup?
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 28: Andrea Belotti #19 of SL Benfica pours water on his face during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC at Bank of America Stadium on June 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Justin Setterfield - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) FIFA via Getty Images As preparations continue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held this summer in the U. S, Canada and Mexico, there are still concerns about how extreme heat will impact both players and fans alike.
Dr. Donal Mullan from Queen’s University Belfast, has warned there is still major concern the timing of some soccer fixtures could result in exposure to extreme heat. Many matches have now been scheduled to avoid peak temperatures in the most at-risk cities.
Group stage and knockout matches begin no earlier than 7pm in Monterrey and 8pm in Kansas City. But Dr. Mullan said FIFA may have to impose cooling breaks during matches, in a statement.
“We do not want a situation where history repeats itself in terms of the health dangers of extreme heat,” he added. “In 2024, Guatemalan match official Humberto Panjoj collapsed mid-way through a Copa América match in Kansas City. ” Dr Mullan added climate change is having a big impact on the world around us and it is vital that we plan ahead for these situations.
Jason Moreland, director of meteorology at AlertMedia, said heat is going to be a major factor in some U. S. cities, from Miami to Kansas City, and even in Canada, in an interview.