FIFPRO warns of extreme heat for the 2026 World Cup

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La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, p. a11

Geneva. The extreme heat players faced at the Club World Cup in the United States could become an even bigger problem at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, the global union for professional footballers, FIFPRO, has warned.

The current month-long tournament is being played amid a heat wave gripping 11 US cities. While union leaders praised the cooling measures during matches, they also denounced FIFA's failure to adopt its recommendation to consider postponing kickoff times by several hours on the hottest days.

Six of the 16 World Cup venues next year in the United States, Mexico, and Canada are considered by FIFPRO to be at extremely high risk for heat stress for players from the 48 national teams. The highest-risk locations are Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, and Monterrey, although some have indoor, air-conditioned stadiums.

We anticipate this issue will become more crucial in the coming years , said Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO's medical director.

The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted in June and July by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, where there are fewer indoor and air-conditioned stadiums, and temperatures in some cities reached or exceeded 38 degrees yesterday.

Gouttebarge warned that by 2030 the hot weather outlook for the tournament may be even worse than what we have faced so far .

FIFPRO suggested that additional heat mitigation measures could include 20-minute halftime breaks instead of 15 to help reduce players' body temperatures, and in-game cool-down periods every 15 minutes.

During the World Cup , FIFA insisted on cooling breaks and water stations, as well as placing more towels around the edge of the pitch. We're partly happy because the authorities were quite receptive once the tournament was underway , noted Alex Phillips, FIFPRO general secretary.

The union, with national affiliates representing players in some 70 countries, also favors better shaded benches for substitutes and more hydration breaks. "All of these practical things are something we need to do better ," said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO's director of strategy.

The union submitted its research to FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup kickoff on June 14, based on weather trends in host cities since 2014. Seven of the 11 were deemed high risk, with Philadelphia and Washington at the highest end.

▲ Photo @miseleccion

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, p. a11

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