According to a scientific study, a “very high risk of extreme heat stress” arises for most players at the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Organisms will be put to the test. According to a study published on November 28 in the journal Scientific Reportsfootballers competing in the 2026 World Cup will face a “very high risk of extreme heat stress”. The alert concerns 10 of the 16 stadiums selected for the competition scheduled for June 11 to July 16, 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The risk is particularly high in the event of afternoon matches in the following three stadiums: Dallas Stadium, Houston Stadium and Estadio Monterrey. The temperature felt by players could exceed 49.5°C, with water loss estimated at more than 1.5 kg per hour.
Reduced oxygen content in Mexico City
The authors of the study, Polish and German researchers, used “biometeorological” indices to estimate the temperature that can be felt by players in full exertion during matches. This takes into account both the temperature in the air and the humidity level, but also physical activity, the time spent in the enclosure and the clothing worn.
“The highest heat stress was estimated to occur in all stadiums between 2 and 5 p.m.,” the study notes, noting an exception for Miami, where the heat peak is observed between 11 and 12 a.m.
The study also calls for “taking into account” the reduced oxygen content in Guadalajara (1566 meters above sea level) and at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico (2240 meters above sea level). The latter is, however, the stage where thermal stress will be the least violent.
The publication of this study comes at a time when FIFA is considering the dates for organizing the 2034 World Cup, promised to Saudi Arabia. Given the weather conditions in summer, but also religious events, the tournament could well be moved to January. For the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the competition was held in November-December to avoid the high summer heat.
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