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The global average temperature has risen markedly since 1980, with 2024 the first year to be more than 1.5C above<\/a> the pre-industrial average.<\/p>\n The previous World Cup – held in Qatar in 2022 – was moved from June and July,<\/a> when temperatures regularly exceed 40C and can reach 50C in Doha, to November and December in order to protect players and fans.<\/p>\n The report says the 2026 tournament risks seeing games played at “the level beyond which some football governing bodies recommend match delay or postponement”.<\/p>\n The heat policy of Football Australia, for example, states a match may be delayed or postponed when the WBGT reaches 28C.<\/p>\n However, Fifa’s procedure is for mandatory cooling breaks to be provided in each half when the WBGT passes 32C, with a delay or postponement at the discretion of match organisers.<\/p>\n World players’ union Fifpro, external<\/span><\/a> believes Fifa’s guidelines “do not do enough to protect the health and performance of players”.<\/p>\n It recommends cooling breaks when the WBGT is between 28C and 32C, and for games to be rescheduled above 32C.<\/p>\n The result of playing in such conditions range from small performance-impacting issues such as sleep disruption and late changes to event timings, to severe health impacts such as heat-related stress and injury.<\/p>\n It is not just players who can be affected. During last year’s Copa America, Guatemalan assistant referee Humberto Panjoj had to be withdrawn, external<\/span><\/a> from a game in Kansas City after collapsing on the field when the WBGT was calculated to be 27.5C.<\/p>\n Dr Mullan says Miami and Monterrey “could pose the greatest risk” as they do not have air-conditioned stadiums.<\/p>\n The report suggests afternoon games be avoided in Kansas City, Boston, New York and Philadelphia too.<\/p>\n Although the hottest two host cities – Dallas and Houston – do have air conditioning, there is still a risk to spectators if games are played in the afternoon, Dr Mullan said.<\/p>\n “They will go back out into the soaring heat so there’s a risk for spectators as well as the players and match officials,” he added.<\/p>\n The research findings have been published in The International Journal of Biometeorology., external<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n