World Cup matches played in potentially dangerous heat as players’ union makes climate warning

Achraf Hakimi of Morocco pours water over himself to cool down in the heat during the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil and Morocco at New York New Jersey Stadium on 13 June 2026. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Achraf Hakimi of Morocco pours water over himself to cool down in the heat during the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil and Morocco at New York New Jersey Stadium on 13 June 2026. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images World Cup matches played in potentially dangerous heat as players’ union makes climate warning Nine of the group stage games played in severe heat, analysis finds, as union points to lessons for the whole sport Nine matches in the World Cup group stage were played amid potentially dangerous heat and humidity, a Guardian analysis shows, as global players’ union Fifpro warned that heat would have to “play a bigger part” in the sport’s future scheduling decisions. The findings come as likely record-breaking heat and humidity will hit the midwest and eastern US this week and could make conditions even more challenging for players and fans at some games. The Guardian’s latest analysis of conditions looked at the World Cup’s 72-game group stage, which ended on Saturday last week, and found an estimated nine matches were played in conditions of severe heat that the union Fitpfo has previously said should trigger the delay or postponement of games. An additional 13 may have been played in cities with temperatures beyond that level of heat, but where stadiums were cooled by air conditioning. These matches were played amid wet bulb globe temperatures (WBGT) that may have been at or over 28C (82F) or above, according to data for the place and time of the games – conditions Fifpro has argued should trigger the delay or postponement of games. The two hottest games in a non-air-conditioned venue were both played at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. During Uruguay’s 2-2 draw with Cape Verde on 21 June, the wet-bulb globe temperature may have reached or exceeded 33C, surpassing the previous tournament high of an estimated 32.9C recorded six days earlier, when Uruguay drew 1-1 with Saudi Arabia. “The lesson for everyone in the industry is that with a warming planet, heat conditions will play a bigger part in tournament and league scheduling decisions in the future,” a spokesperson from the Fifpro union said in a comment when asked about the Guardian analysis findings. The UN’s top climate official also warned about how the climate crisis was impacting the sport. “More extreme heat is not random, it’s climate change, caused by more than a century of burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas,” Simon Stiell, executive secretary for the United Nations climate body, said in an emailed comment. “It affects the things we love, like football.” Graphic showing temperatures in several cities Unlike air temperature alone, WBGT accounts for humidity, direct sunlight and wind to provid