Summer Heat Driven by Climate Change Puts World Cup Players and Fans at Risk
Attribution study forecasts that 25% of all games are likely to be played at temperatures hotter than 26°C, exceeding conditions set by players’ union
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As players and fans prepare for this year’s World Cup, an analysis released today by World Weather Attribution found that they will face a higher risk of playing in grueling heat and humidity compared to the 1994 contest held in North America. According to the study, approximately 25% of World Cup 2026 matches are likely to be played in heat conditions higher than the level the global players’ union FIFPRO advises for implementing safety measures like cooling. The forecast predicts that at least 5 matches could occur when temperature is above 28°C, a level that FIFPRO considers to be unsafe for play.
In response, Aaron Regunberg, director of Public Citizen’s Climate Accountability Project, issued the following statement:
“When we talk about climate harms, attention often goes to the most catastrophic effects: The lives lost, homes destroyed, and communities wiped off the map by climate disasters. These are consequences that Big Oil companies predicted decades ago, and knew their fossil fuel products would cause. But climate change is also negatively impacting people’s day-to-day lives, making it harder to enjoy many of our favorite activities, including, as this World Weather Attribution study reminds us, sports.
“The study predicts that fully one quarter of the World Cup games this summer will be played in extreme heat that is dangerous for players and fans. This analysis tells a similar story to prior studies finding youth are losing at least a week of sports every year due to dangerous climate conditions. Big Oil companies’ pollution and lies are ruining so much of what we love, and sports are no exception. They must be made to pay for these harms.”
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