FIFA World Cup 2026: Extreme heat... growing challenges on players' health
Temperatures reached dangerous levels during the FIFA World Cup match in Philadelphia. With the announcement of the Extreme Heat Warning, protection from the heat has become an important issue not only for players but also for fans and officials. Experts have explained how dangerous the heat can be on the body during the game.
Fifa World Cup 2026 heat intensity has reached an unusual level. Especially in Philadelphia, America, the temperature has crossed 38 degrees Celsius (100F) before the current match. This is equal to the 1966 record. During the 5 hours of game time, the temperature above the field in the stadium is expected to exceed 43 degrees Celsius (110F).
In this setting, players are playing on a natural grass pitch – which is less hot than artificial pitches. FIFA has specially installed natural grass on all 16 stadiums. However, this grass has maximum temperatures between 43C–49C (110–120F). Due to this the players face the effect of intense heat in the legs and thighs.
Meteorologists are warning that heavy rains and storms may come along with this heat in Philadelphia. This becomes an additional hindrance to the match.
Experts explain: If the body temperature is high, the players start sweating earlier – the evaporation of the sweat reduces the body heat. But, when the humidity is above 50%, the chance of sweat to evaporate decreases, reducing the effect of reducing body temperature. This increases the risk of dehydration (deficiency of water and electrolytes).
"During a game, some players lose three to five kilograms of liquid water. At the same time, important electrolytes like sodium and chloride are also lost through sweat. These play a vital role in muscle work and body alertness," say sports medicine experts.
In extreme heat, the blood flow in the body also becomes less for the digestive system. This causes problems like indigestion, spasms and headaches. Dehydration causes the body temperature to rise, which in turn leads to heat exhaustion.
Currently, if FIFA does not take emergency measures, the official WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) level of 32C is the recommended level to suspend the game. But sports associations and players' associations of other countries suggest stopping the game when 28C WBGT is exceeded annually.
All in all, heat has become a major difficulty in the 2026 World Cup. Sportsmen should pay for body protection measures, increasing game breaks and implementing better hydration schemes. More measures need to be taken to reduce the health risk of players due to heat in the future.