FIFA is facing renewed scrutiny over next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada amid mounting fears that extreme heat could endanger both players and fans.
The alarm follows this summer’s 2025 Club World Cup, where soaring temperatures caused widespread concern across teams and venues.
Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac sounded the first warning after his side’s opening game, arguing that the schedule was taking a heavy toll on athletes.
“These players had to bring top performance, but this is tournament mode, and we will see the same next year during the World Cup,” he said. “Kickoff times should be later. Playing in Atlanta at 9 p.m. was still very intense. When it’s too hot, it’s difficult to play the kind of football spectators expect.”
Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola admitted his players struggled to maintain rhythm in the sweltering conditions, while England manager Thomas Tuchel described the experience simply as “suffering.” He told Reporters, “We need to understand how to cool players down, how to hydrate, what our options are.”
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández went further, revealing he “got dizzy” during one match, calling the situation “very dangerous.” His coach, Enzo Maresca, added that afternoon training sessions in Philadelphia had been “almost impossible.”
The global players’ union FIFPRO branded the Club World Cup “a wake-up call,” demanding extended half-times and more cooling breaks.
FIFA’s chief of global football, Arsène Wenger, acknowledged the issue, admitting: “In some games, it was a problem. But we tried to combat it with water breaks and by watering the pitches during stoppages. We learned a lot for next year — we will use more stadiums with roofs and adjust timings to be more heat-sensitive.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has since promised adjustments, including air-conditioned stadiums, three rest days per team, and revised kickoff times. “The heat is definitely an issue,” he told The Guardian. “But we have covered stadiums in the U.S. and Canada, and we will use them more during the day.”
Host cities are already adapting: Dallas and Houston will rely on retractable-roof stadiums with climate control, while Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium offers similar protection. Miami, however, lacks a covered venue, raising concerns about scheduling afternoon fixtures.
Scientific studies have deepened the concerns; a 2024 Scientific Reports paper found that 10 of 16 host cities face “very high” heat-stress risk, with some locations recording climate index values above 49.5°C — conditions under which players could lose more than 1.5 kg of body weight per hour through dehydration.
A follow-up study in 2025 warned that 14 host cities routinely exceed safe thresholds for afternoon matches.
Fans and climate campaigners have also joined the debate; during the Club World Cup, hashtags like #TooHotToPlay trended on X and Instagram as supporters criticised organisers for prioritising scheduling over safety.
With the World Cup less than a year away, FIFA is under growing pressure from players, coaches, unions, scientists, and fans to ensure the spectacle does not come at the cost of player welfare or supporter safety.