Climate Scientists Warn Extreme Heat Could Affect One in Four 2026 World Cup Matches
Al Jazeera English
Climate scientists warn that due to warming, 2026 World Cup matches face a much higher heat risk than 1994. One in four games may be at 26°C WBGT or more, and five could reach 28°C, where matches should be postponed.
Climate experts have challenged FIFA with a warning that one in four matches at the 2026 World Cup could be played in extreme heat, as global warming has increased the risk of high temperatures since the United States last hosted the tournament in 1994.
The World Weather Attribution (WWA) network of climate scientists said: “Players and fans face a much higher risk of extreme heat and humidity at the 2026 World Cup compared with the 1994 tournament on the same continent.” According to the WWA analysis, 26 of the 104 matches may take place at a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) of at least 26°C — a measure that combines heat, humidity, sunlight, and wind to assess the body’s ability to cool down.
At 26°C WBGT, the international footballers’ union FIFPRO recommends cooling breaks because of the real risk of heat stress. Among those 26 matches, 17 will be held at stadiums with air-conditioning, which mitigates the danger for players and fans.
Comparing it with the 1994 World Cup in the United States, WWA estimates that 21 matches back then would also have reached a similar temperature level. However, five of the 2026 matches are expected to take place at 28°C WBGT or above — a threshold at which FIFPRO says matches should be postponed or delayed until conditions are safer for players and fans. That risk has nearly doubled compared with 1994.
Friederike Otto, co-founder of WWA and a professor of climate science at Imperial College London, said: “This is dangerous for the players, but of course there are also fans gathering outdoors, and they face even more risk because they won’t have many doctors looking after them.”
Three of the 16 stadiums — in Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta — have air conditioning. But more than a third of the matches with a 1-in-10 chance of exceeding 26°C WBGT will take place at venues without cooling. The final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has a 1-in-8 chance of 26°C WBGT and a 2.7% risk of hitting 28°C, according to WWA.
Otto added: “The World Cup final — one of the biggest sporting events on the planet — facing a non-negligible risk of being played in heat that would be “must postpone” level is a wake-up call for FIFA and fans.”
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN Climate Change), also backed the warning. On social media, he said: “The risk of dangerous heat has doubled” since 1994, putting “players and fans at risk. We must act faster to protect the sport we love and everyone who watches it. That means accelerating the decisive shift to clean energy.”
FIFA, for its part, outlined preventive measures for the tournament. FIFA said: “FIFA will continue to monitor conditions in real time, integrating WBGT and Heat Index monitoring, and is ready to apply established emergency protocols should extreme weather occur.”
