World Cup 2026: Two Matches Played in Conditions Fifpro Says Should Trigger Delays
Two of the opening round of World Cup 2026 matches were played in heat conditions that the global football players’ union has previously argued should trigger delays or postponement, according to an analysis by The Guardian.
The Guardian examined weather data across the first 24 games of the tournament – each team’s opening fixture – and found that Saudi Arabia’s match against Uruguay in Miami experienced the most severe heat of any game played in a stadium without air conditioning. Sweden’s clash with Tunisia in Monterrey was the second most severe. Both games, despite being evening kick-offs, saw wet-bulb temperatures of 28C (82F) or above.
Wet-bulb temperature is a measure of heat stress that factors in air temperature, humidity and cloud cover to assess how effectively the human body can cool itself through sweating. Beyond certain thresholds, sweat cannot evaporate properly, increasing the risk of overheating, illness or worse.
Fifpro, the players’ union, has previously called for games reaching 28C wet-bulb temperature or above to be delayed or postponed. When contacted by The Guardian, Fifpro declined to comment on the heat situation at this tournament – which is forecast to be the hottest World Cup since the competition began in 1930.
In total, six of the first 24 matches were held in locations where wet-bulb temperatures hit 28C or above: Germany v Curacao and Portugal v DR Congo (both in Houston), Saudi Arabia v Uruguay in Miami, and the Netherlands v Japan plus England v Croatia (both in Dallas). The venues in Houston and Dallas both have air conditioning, which reduced the conditions inside the stadiums considerably. England’s game against Croatia saw the highest raw wet-bulb reading of nearly 35C (95F), though AC brought it down to around 22C (71F) inside.
Fifa has responded to the heat by shifting some kick-off times later in the day and introducing mandatory water breaks. However, experts remain concerned. Robbie Parks, an environmental epidemiologist at Columbia University who co-signed an open letter to Fifa on the eve of the tournament, warned that temperature readings taken from shaded areas can understate conditions considerably for players and fans in direct sunlight.