FIFA urged to take action regarding 'heat risks' ahead of World Cup

The peak summer heat was a major issue during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup -Credit:FEDERICO PARRA/AFP via Getty Images

(FEDERICO PARRA/AFP via Getty Images)

A collection of 21 doctors and professors from around the world have come together to publish an open letter to FIFA, expressing their sincere concern regarding the safety of players set to participate in the upcoming World Cup due to the extreme heat expected.

Published on Wednesday, the three-page letter kicks off by clarifying that it was written “in our professional capacity as medical, public health, performance and climate science practitioners and researchers, concerned about and in some cases responsible for the health, safety, and wellbeing of elite footballers competing at the highest level of the men’s game, due to the worrying levels of heat stress they could be exposed to at the 2026 men’s World Cup.”

This is far from the first time the temperate North American climate has proved problematic for FIFA, with complaints rife throughout last summer’s new-look Club World Cup. During some games, players opted to stand in front of sprinklers on the field to cool down, while in others, substitutes were directed to sit within locker rooms to avoid the excessive heat, among other measures taken by participants.

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Cooling breaks will be implemented throughout this summer's World Cup -Credit:Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Likely with this still fresh in their minds, this collection of professionals has made a last-ditch effort to emphasize the importance of taking action before this summer’s World Cup kicks off on June 11, with the just over one-month-long tournament to be held across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, with only three of the 16 venues being air-conditioned.

In fact, the Final is scheduled to be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey - a stadium which has no roof at all.

The letter cites “FIFA’s database of health-related guidelines” which it claims demonstrates that the organization “only conducted, or made public, minimal research studies into the impact of heat stress on players.”

They accuse this of directly contradicting a statement made by FIFA in July 2025, which said that it would “proactively identify, assess and respond to emerging health issues that could impact football or be mitigated through the game, including how pandemics, climate change, air pollution and new injury and illness patterns or behaviours might affect player welfare.”

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It goes on to point out how FIFA had said it “prioritises player welfare across all of its tournaments through evidence-based medical protocols,” something the co-signees of the letter clearly believe the organization's actions - or lack thereof - over the past year do not correlate with.

FIFA has announced that cooling breaks will be implemented throughout this summer's tournament.

However, the co-singees remain deeply concerned about the fact that if the Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) reaches 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celcius), this is still no guarantee that the game would be canceled or suspended, claiming that, “The safety level of 32°C WBGT for activities involving running is impossible to justify.”

It goes on to point out that even playing in 78.8 degrees Fahrenheit ultimately poses extreme risks to the health of players and officials.

Ultimately, the letter ‘respectfully urges’ the organization “to adopt heat-management protocols that prioritise prevention over response, and that align with contemporary exercise physiology, occupational health principles, and duty-of-care standards expected in elite sport.”

Only two of the 16 World Cup stadiums will be fully air-conditioned -Credit:Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

In order to do so, they recommend adopting FIFPRO’s suggested six-minute cooling breaks, doubling FIFA’s existing plans, while also bringing in “equipment for aggressive pre-game and half-time cooling.”

The letter concludes, “Player health and safety must remain the non-negotiable foundation of football governance and the heat risks for the upcoming World Cup make this question more urgent than ever.

“We ask if FIFA will commit to evaluating and updating its guidelines in accordance with the best practice and science, and in line with its stated prioritising of player safety?”

FIFA’s stance on the subject has been made clear in a statement, saying that it is “committed to protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff,” via USA Today.

The organization is also allowing spectators to bring their own water bottles into stadiums when the temperature is especially high, while cooling areas will be provided at outdoor stadiums for fans. Games are also largely scheduled to kick off after the warmest part of the day in cities where the stadium is outdoors.