• About 25% of matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup may exceed safe temperature limits.
• Five matches could potentially be played under dangerous heat conditions.
• FIFA and FIFPRO are implementing heat risk management strategies to protect participants.
• Climate change is significantly increasing the likelihood of extreme heat during the tournament.
• Fans may face greater risks than players due to prolonged exposure to the heat.

Recent analyses by climate research group World Weather Attribution indicate a substantial increase in the risk of dangerous heat conditions during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which features 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The study reveals that roughly a quarter of these matches are expected to be played in temperatures exceeding recommended safety limits set by the global players' union, FIFPRO. This marks nearly double the likelihood observed during the 1994 World Cup held in the U.S., where the tournament faced critical heat challenges, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

With an increased likelihood of playing under unsafe conditions, researchers have warned that around five matches could be held in temperatures requiring postponement, based on assessments using the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index. FIFPRO's medical director, Vincent Gouttebarge, stated, "These estimations justify the need for - and implementation of - a series of mitigation strategies," including cooling breaks and enhanced medical readiness, as detailed by Africanews and Reuters.

The findings are particularly alarming as July—which will see the tournament played—is the hottest month in much of the United States. Notably, three of the 16 host venues, including major cities like Miami and Kansas City, lack air conditioning, placing more matches at risk of extreme heat, according to the studies. "More than a third of games are scheduled at stadiums without climate control, with the final at MetLife Stadium facing a one-in-eight chance of surpassing the 26°C WBGT threshold," reports Reuters and Africanews.

Moreover, experts suggest that fans attending the matches may be at even greater risk than players, as spectators will be exposed to potentially dangerous heat while traveling to stadiums and waiting in long queues outdoors. Joyce Kimutai, a climate scientist, remarked on the dire implications for supporters: "Fans could be people coming with different morbidities or different pre-existing conditions," citing their heightened vulnerability, according to Africanews and Channel News Asia.