Extreme Heat Poses Significant Risks for 2026 World Cup Athletes and Fans

Rising global temperatures could create dangerous conditions for athletes, fans, and officials during the upcoming 2026 World Cup across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. With matches scheduled during June and July—typically the hottest months of the year—organizers are implementing comprehensive heat mitigation strategies to ensure safety.

Sixteen cities will host the tournament during North America’s peak summer heat. According to research led by Donal Mullan, a senior lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast, 14 of the 16 host locations experience levels of extreme heat that could endanger players, officials, and spectators. The wet bulb globe temperatures—which factor in humidity, wind speed, and sun angle—could exceed 90°F (32°C) during afternoon hours in Dallas and Houston, Texas, as well as Monterrey, Mexico.

“Almost all of the host locations experience levels of extreme heat, which could be potentially dangerous to players, match officials and possibly spectators,” said Mullan, who led a paper examining heat risks in the tournament’s host cities.

The health concerns are substantial. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat during physical exertion can cause dehydration, nausea, headaches, stroke, and in severe cases, death. These worries intensified after record-breaking temperatures hit large parts of the United States in March, prompting scientists to warn that staging summer soccer tournaments has become increasingly hazardous due to climate change caused by fossil fuel emissions.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was moved from summer to winter specifically because of extreme heat concerns. Last year’s Club World Cup experienced a heat wave with temperatures exceeding 90°F in many locations, leading the global players’ union to warn that extreme heat would likely pose an even greater challenge for the next two men’s World Cups.

FIFA, the world governing body for soccer, is working with host cities and stadiums to protect participants through comprehensive heat risk assessments and mitigation strategies. For players, mandatory 3-minute hydration breaks will be implemented during each half of every match, regardless of weather conditions. Teams will be allowed up to five substitutions, and a minimum of three rest days between matches has been scheduled to allow for adequate recovery.

“Outdoor matches during the hottest parts of the day have been strategically limited, kick-off times adjusted in certain markets, and matches expected in warmer windows prioritized for covered stadiums where possible,” FIFA stated. Staff and substitutes will have access to climate-controlled benches during outdoor matches.

FIFA has also established a Heat Illness Mitigation and Management Task Force composed of medical and operational experts to finalize heat-risk alert systems and coordinate stadium medical action plans ahead of the games.

Host cities are preparing to activate extreme heat emergency plans if temperatures become dangerous. These plans include public safety messaging on heat protection and recognizing signs of heat illness. In Vancouver, Canada, if Environment and Climate Change Canada issues an official heat warning, the city will deploy additional temporary drinking fountains, handwashing stations, and misting stations to complement its multilingual heat awareness campaign.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will disseminate heat safety information before and during the games, while launching a heat dashboard showing near-real-time data on heat-related emergency room visits. New York City has prepared notifications in 14 different languages for its 1.5 million public warning subscribers and international visitors through the Everbridge app and WhatsApp.

Medical personnel will be stationed at FIFA Fan Festivals and around stadiums to treat heat-related illnesses. In Dallas, all medical professionals will have access to ice and ice immersion bags, with two medical stations in climate-controlled locations at the city’s festival site.

Physical infrastructure also plays a key role in heat mitigation. Some venues, like Canada’s BC Place in Vancouver, are fully covered, protecting players and fans from weather conditions. Dallas’s stadium is enclosed with air conditioning, while in Santa Clara, California, all matches will be played in the evening when temperatures are cooler.

Cities are increasing access to shade, cooling areas, and water for spectators and workers. Seattle is exploring using air-conditioned buses, tents, and water misters at fan events. Vancouver will provide shaded seating areas at all tournament locations, while Dallas has mandated rest and hydration breaks for volunteers and workers at outdoor events.

Despite these precautions, climate experts warn that future tournaments may require different approaches. “By the next time the World Cup comes back and is awarded in this part of the world, it will have to be structured differently and adapted,” said Elliot Arthur-Worsop, founding director of Football for Future, an organization focused on environmental sustainability in soccer.

In a climate report published ahead of this year’s games, Arthur-Worsop’s organization found that heat and other climate risks will intensify in most stadiums hosting games by 2050, underscoring the growing challenge that climate change poses to international sporting events.