FLASH NEWS
Alarm for the 2026 World Cup: Climate change risks affecting matches and the health of footballers!
2026-06-16 08:37:50 / SPORT
Climate change is increasing the likelihood of extreme heat at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to analysis by climate research organization Climate Central, which found that temperatures exceeding the 28 degrees Celsius threshold, which affects performance, have at least a 50 percent chance of occurring in 49 of the tournament's 104 matches.
The study shows that climate change increases these odds by at least 10 percentage points in 26 of these matches. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 national teams, including Turkey, competing in 104 matches in 16 cities in the US, Canada and Mexico. Research shows that temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius can affect player performance as well as teams' strategies and playing styles.
Climate change will have the biggest impact on the Uruguay-Spain match. The match most affected by climate change is predicted to be the one between Uruguay and Spain, which will be played in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 26. The probability that temperatures will exceed 28 degrees Celsius in that match is 70 percent, a figure that would be 37 percentage points lower in the absence of climate change.
In the Turkey-USA match at the Los Angeles Stadium on June 25, the probability that temperatures will exceed 28 degrees Celsius reaches 49 percent, with climate change contributing 6 percentage points to this figure.
For the final in New Jersey on July 19, the probability that players will compete in temperatures that affect performance is 47 percent, compared to 30 percent without the impact of climate change.
Rising temperatures in stadiums
The analysis also looked at how often days with extreme heat have occurred in June and July over the past decade (2016–2025), compared to the previous decade when each of the ten host cities last hosted World Cup matches.
Miami, which hosted in 1994, and Mexico City, which hosted in 1986, have each experienced seven times more days of extreme heat in June-July over the past decade compared to their previous periods as host cities.
"It should be evaluated in terms of the players' health, not just performance"
In an interview with Anadolu, Prof. Dr. Abdullah Yener Ince, orthopedics and traumatology specialist at Acibadem Maslak Hospital in Istanbul, said that rising temperatures are among the most urgent environmental challenges in today's football and should be assessed in terms of both players' health and their performance.
He noted that players are sometimes forced to compete not only against opponents but also against weather conditions, a challenge that becomes much more pronounced in summer tournaments.
"Players lose more fluids, their heart rate increases and recovery becomes more difficult. Maintaining high-intensity runs in the latter stages of matches becomes more difficult. At a certain point, the body focuses on cooling itself rather than performance," he said.
Ince adds that the number of repeated sprints can drop as temperatures rise, concentration becomes harder to maintain and even a one-second delay in decision-making can change the outcome of a match.
He points out that many teams are now incorporating heat acclimatization into their pre-tournament training camp plans, as the body's adaptation to heat can make a significant difference in performance.
"Hot weather can change the course of matches"
Ince said that the temperatures expected at the World Cup will affect both the style of play and the results.
"Some teams base their game on high tempo and constant pressure while others prefer to control the game through possession. Hot weather can particularly affect high-energy play patterns and this can change the course of matches," he said.
He concluded by emphasizing the changing nature of preparation in football.
"Before we only talked about training science and nutrition, but today we also talk about climatic conditions. In the coming years, successful teams will not only need good players, but also teams with strong health and performance, able to adapt to environmental conditions. This is no longer a luxury, but has become an important part of the game," said Ince.
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