Substitutes retreat to locker rooms, practices canceled, jerseys drenched – the relentless heat wave sweeping across much of the United States is pushing players at the FIFA Club World Cup to their physical limits.
The punishing conditions offer a scorching preview of what players and fans might face next summer during the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“It’s impossible – brutally hot,” Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente said after facing Paris Saint-Germain. “My toes were sore, even my toenails hurt. I couldn’t stop or start. But since it’s the same for everyone, there are no excuses.”
A stagnant “heat dome” of high pressure has gripped the central and eastern U.S., sending temperatures soaring above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), with heat indexes climbing even higher.
It’s a dangerous mix for both players and fans, heightening the risk of dehydration, muscle cramps and potentially life-threatening conditions such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
“In Europe it’s more of a dry heat, and this is more of a humid heat. I think it’s going to hit them twice as hard,” fan Tyler Fernando said before Bayern Munich’s match against Benfica on Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the temperature was 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) at game time.
Spectators at the Auckland City match against Boca Juniors in Nashville on Tuesday also endured temperatures in the mid-30s degrees Celsius (mid-90s degrees Fahrenheit). Male fans went shirtless, and many sought out shaded sections.
Heat is a particular concern during tournaments like the Club World Cup because players don’t have much time to recover between games. In the group stage, matches are usually staggered daily, meaning some teams play under the midday sun.
Chelsea cut short a practice session in Philadelphia, where temperatures reached above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).
“I always try to avoid excuses; I always try to be honest. It’s not about excuses, it’s about reality. It’s an excuse when it’s not hot and we say it’s hot – that’s an excuse. But if it’s hot, it’s hot. We’re here, and we’re trying to do our best,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said.
During a match between Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns, Dortmund posted on social media: “Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun at TQL Stadium – never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense.”
“We always think about how we can help the team, how we can minimize a negative influence. And it was just very, very hot. We had cooling sticks to help the players. We had them waiting in the dressing room with air conditioning,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said through an interpreter. “This was very important for all of us. It’s not only about tactics, but also about minimizing the load and the stress. The stress is already high enough.”
FIFA guidelines mandate cooling breaks when the wet-bulb globe temperature – a composite of factors including temperature and humidity – reaches 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The breaks usually occur around the 30th and 75th minutes.
Cooling breaks were first used at the 2008 Olympic final between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Nigeria at Beijing’s National Stadium, where the on-field temperature reached 42 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit).
At the time, such breaks were rare. They became more common after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where a Brazilian labor court ordered hydration breaks when the wet-bulb globe temperature reached 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took to social media to urge Club World Cup fans to exercise caution in the heat before Inter Miami’s match against Palmeiras on Monday night. Chelsea also posted “heat mitigation” guidelines on its official website before its match against Esperance on Tuesday.
It’s not just high temperatures that impact summer tournaments – five Club World Cup matches have been delayed by thunderstorms.
Climate will be an increasing concern for FIFA as global temperatures rise. Sixteen cities will host World Cup games next year. Five of the stadiums have roofs to provide some sun protection.
In Mexico, venues in Mexico City and Guadalajara could be impacted by hurricane season, while Monterrey regularly sees summer temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).
Following the 2026 World Cup, the 2030 edition will be held in Morocco, Spain and Portugal. And the issue isn’t limited to the men’s game: The 2027 Women’s World Cup is set to be played in Brazil.
Peter Crisp of Fossil Free Football said, “Scheduling matches in no-shade stadiums in the middle of the day and promoting oil-dependent sponsors shows FIFA is dangerously out of touch with the threat extreme heat poses to its major summer tournaments.”
Content Source: www.dailysabah.com