"A group of world-leading scientists have warned Fifa its current heat safety measures for the men's 2026 World Cup are "inadequate" and could put players at risk of serious harm. In an open letter, external, international experts in health, climate and sports performance say the governing body's guidelines are out of step with the current science and "impossible to justify". They call on Fifa to introduce stronger protections, including longer cooling breaks and clearer protocols for delaying or postponing games in extreme conditions."
"Heat is expected to be an issue at this summer's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with researchers warning temperatures at 14 of the 16 stadiums being used could exceed dangerous levels. In parts of the southern US and northern Mexico, average daytime highs are typically in the low to mid-30Cs and can rise towards 40C during hotter spells. When temperature, humidity, wind speeds and the strength of the sunshine are factored in, players in these World Cup host cities are at greatest risk of experiencing extreme levels of heat stress on the body."
"As part of it's "commitment to player welfare", Fifa has introduced mandatory three-minute cooling breaks in each half of every match for the tournament, regardless of weather conditions. There will be climate-controlled benches for technical staff and substitutes at all outdoor matches. Fifa also uses the gold-standard heat measure for sport, the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which assesses physical heat stress on the body and combines heat and humidity. A WBGT of around 28C is widely considered a threshold at which heat stress becomes a significant concern for elite athl"
External international experts warn that heat safety measures for the men’s 2026 World Cup are inadequate and could cause serious harm. They say current guidelines do not match current science and are impossible to justify. They call for stronger protections, including longer cooling breaks and clearer protocols for delaying or postponing games in extreme conditions. Heat is expected to be a major issue across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with researchers warning that temperatures at most stadiums could exceed dangerous levels. Average daytime highs in parts of the host region often reach the low to mid-30s Celsius and can approach 40C. When humidity, wind, and sunshine are included, players face the greatest risk of extreme heat stress. Fifa states it assesses climate-related risks and has mandatory three-minute cooling breaks in each half regardless of weather, plus climate-controlled benches and WBGT-based monitoring.
Read at www.bbc.com
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