LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Health experts are raising concerns over dangerous weather conditions expected during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, warning that extreme heat across host cities in North America could put athletes and spectators at serious risk.
On Thursday, a report by BBC Sport, a coalition of medical experts, sports scientists, and climate researchers urged FIFA to adopt stricter heat safety protocols proposed by FIFPRO, the global football players union.
The experts warned that rising temperatures in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which will jointly host the 2026 tournament, could expose players, officials, and fans to severe heat stress during matches.
Coordinator of the open letter to FIFA, Andrew Simms, said, “Player safety is an immediate and urgent concern because things can go wrong very quickly when people overheat. We’re worried that FIFA is playing recklessly with the health and safety of players.”
The warning follows new findings by the World Weather Attribution group, which estimated that nearly one quarter of World Cup matches may take place in temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), a scientific measurement used to assess heat stress risks.
Researchers also warned that about five matches could be played in conditions exceeding 28°C WBGT, a threshold considered unsafe for professional football by FIFPRO.
Furthermore, scientists noted that the danger of extreme heat during the 2026 competition has nearly doubled compared to the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which was also hosted in North America.
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Expanding on the issue, experts cautioned that thunderstorms and wildfire smoke may further threaten public safety during the summer tournament.
In response to the growing concerns, FIFA announced plans to introduce what it described as a “tiered heat mitigation model” throughout the competition.
The governing body said safety measures would be adjusted based on real-time weather conditions in each host city.
A FIFA spokesperson explained that dedicated meteorological monitoring systems would be used to track WBGT levels and heat indexes during matches to guide safety decisions.
The organization also stated that match schedules were designed with climate conditions in mind, with efforts made to avoid kickoffs during the hottest parts of the day.
Some matches expected to face higher temperatures may also be played in covered stadiums.
Ultimately, FIFA maintained it would continue collaborating with medical experts and local authorities to ensure a “safe and resilient” tournament for all.
Critics, however, argue that worsening climate change is making summer sporting events increasingly dangerous, raising more concerns about how global tournaments can safely operate under extreme weather conditions in the future.
