AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
It is also the first time that 48 national teams will play at the World Cup, which significantly increases the number of matches.
However, the soccer holiday for fans may be overshadowed by the weather. According to an analysis by World Weather Attribution scientists using climate models, human-caused climate change has significantly intensified hot weather conditions, which could complicate the safe conduct of events in outdoor stadiums and fan zones.
High risks for soccer players
The study analyzed the likelihood that each of the tournament’s 104 matches will be played in conditions that exceed the basic safety standards set by the international footballers’ union FIFPRO, Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reported.
According to the scientists’ findings, players and fans at the 2026 World Cup will face a much higher risk of extreme heat and humidity compared to the 1994 World Cup, which was also held in North America.
About 25 percent of the tournament’s matches are expected to be played when the WBGT index is above 26 degrees. The WBGT (wet-bulb temperature) index takes into account the human body’s ability to cool itself in hot and humid conditions.
A mark of 26 degrees is considered the level at which FIFPRO recommends the use of safety measures, including cooling systems.
It is predicted that about five matches could be played when the WBGT is above 28 degrees, which is equivalent to about 38 degrees of heat in a dry climate. Such conditions FIFPRO considers unsafe for match play and recommends that games be rescheduled.
Cooling systems partially mitigate the risks in only three of the tournament’s 16 arenas. More than a third of the matches, where there is at least a one-in-ten chance of exceeding the WBGT of 26 degrees, will be played in stadiums without air conditioning, including arenas in Miami, Kansas City, New York and Philadelphia.
