Just weeks before the start of the men’s football World Cup on June 11 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, growing alarm is being raised over the impact of climate change on the tournament. Scientists, athletes, and climate activists are warning that rising global temperatures could make conditions dangerous for both players and spectators, with calls for football’s governing body to urgently revise its policies.
The concerns are being driven by new research suggesting that around 25% of matches could take place under conditions considered hazardous to human health due to extreme heat. A recent study, based on historical climate data, found that the risk of dangerous temperatures in host cities has doubled compared with the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Experts say the escalating frequency and intensity of heatwaves, driven by global warming, will make it impossible to ignore climate risks during this year’s tournament.
A broader coalition of scientists specialising in sports medicine and heat exposure has also warned that current safety measures are not sufficient. While FIFA has introduced short cooling breaks during matches, experts argue that these pauses are too brief and that stricter thresholds are needed to suspend or delay games when temperatures become unsafe. They point to the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index, a measure that combines heat, humidity, sunlight, and wind, as a more accurate tool for assessing risk in sporting conditions.
Footballers and former professionals from multiple continents have now joined the call, sending an open letter urging FIFA to update its heat stress guidelines before the tournament begins. The group argues that elite competitions set standards for the wider sport and that stronger protections are necessary at all levels of play, from grassroots to professional leagues. Among the signatories are players from Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, and Oceania, including Norway international Morten Thorsby.
The debate has also expanded into the political and commercial dimensions of football. Scientists and athletes are urging FIFA to reconsider its partnerships with fossil fuel companies, including Saudi oil giant Aramco, which is among the tournament’s main sponsors. Critics argue that such sponsorships conflict with global efforts to reduce emissions and accelerate climate action, especially as extreme weather increasingly affects major sporting events.
The controversy echoes earlier decisions by FIFA, such as relocating the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to winter months due to extreme summer heat. For the 2026 edition, organisers have scheduled matches across multiple North American venues, some of which may face peak daytime temperatures. Despite FIFA’s introduction of hydration breaks, critics say the measures do not go far enough to protect participants.
Beyond immediate health concerns, campaigners are calling for deeper structural changes, including a reduction in the international football calendar and a shift toward more regional competition formats to limit travel emissions. They argue that football, as one of the world’s most influential sports, has a responsibility to lead on climate action rather than remain tied to industries contributing to global warming.
As the tournament approaches, pressure is mounting on FIFA to respond to the growing coalition of scientists and players demanding stronger climate safeguards, with the future of football safety increasingly framed as part of a wider global climate crisis.
