World Cups Face Early Kick-offs and Rescheduled Matches Because of Heat

The FIFA Club World Cup has highlighted the effects of global warming on football. The intense heat significantly slowed down the pace of matches, forcing some substitutes to stay in the locker rooms during games. Experts say this is only the beginning.

Details: The Pitches in Peril report has conducted a stress test for the stadiums set to host the 2026, 2030, and 2034 World Cups, along with amateur pitches associated with eight football legends. This was done using methods from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The results are not encouraging.

Thirteen stadiums in Canada, Mexico, and the United States already experience temperatures exceeding FIFA’s cooling break limit of 28 degrees Celsius at least once every summer. Cities like Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, and Monterrey see this threshold reached for two or more consecutive months.

Consequently, earlier kick-offs, mandatory water breaks, closing stadium roofs, and even rescheduling matches may become common for summer World Cups.

Reminder: Earlier, the Footem team provided a summary of all participants in the North American tournament.