World Cup 2026 Heat Alert: Study Warns a Quarter of Matches Could Be Played in Dangerous Temperatures A new analysis projects that nearly one in four 2026 World Cup matches could be played in heat dangerous enough to threaten players' health, with Miami, Houston and several other host cities flagged as the worst. Roughly one in every four matches at the 2026 World Cup could be played in conditions hot enough to put players' health at risk, a new analysis warns. The projection comes from a statistical model built to estimate, match by match, the likelihood that a fixture will go ahead during a spell of extreme heat across the tournament's North American host cities. How the heat threat was measured To gauge the danger, the researchers leaned on the wet-bulb globe temperature, or WBGT — a metric that reflects how heat actually feels to the human body. Unlike a plain thermometer reading, WBGT folds in humidity, solar radiation and wind speed alongside air temperature, giving a far truer picture of physiological heat stress. The team ran every host city in the United States, Mexico and Canada through the model separately, weighing local factors such as altitude, humidity, regional climate and the built-up character of each venue. They then pulled historical daily WBGT records for June 11 to July 19 — the exact window the tournament will occupy — and measured them against the safety limits set by FIFPro, the international players' union. FIFPro treats a WBGT reading of 26° Celsius (78.8° Fahrenheit) as the point at which extra hydration and cooling steps become necessary to keep players safe. Once the index hits 28° C (82.4° F), the situation is classed as high risk — the level at which the union advises postponing or even suspending a match to head off a possible medical hazard. Applying those benchmarks, the study finds that a quarter of all matches could fall into the first risk band, while at least five games are set to be played in conditions at or above 82° F on the WBGT scale. The cities where the heat is most relentless Five venues stand out as especially troubling: Miami, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Dallas and Houston. In each, the model puts the return period for an 82.4° Fahrenheit WBGT event at just one year — meaning such extreme heat is likely to show up almost every single year during the World Cup's window. The same near-annual pattern appears at the 78.8° Fahrenheit WBGT threshold in the US cities of Atlanta, Boston and New York, as well as in Monterrey, Mexico. Why the danger keeps climbing The report ties the rising risk directly to the warming recorded over recent decades. For games played at 82.4° F, the odds of those conditions occurring have at least doubled since 1994 in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Monterrey, Toronto and Vancouver — every one of them a host in this World Cup. Rubén del Campo, a spokesman for Spain's State Meteorological Agency, told SMC Spain that the planet's average temperature has climbed by between 0.5 and 0.7 degrees Celsius since 1994. "It is a figure that may not seem very high, but it represents approximately half of the warming observed in the last century and a half. Moreover, since the mid-1990s, when the previous World Cup was held in the United States, the effects of climate change have intensified all over the planet, especially heat waves," he said. Stadiums already flagged as heat traps The WWA report lands alongside other recent work pointing to punishing weather. Late in 2024, a study published in the journal Scientific Reports cautioned that 10 of the 16 host stadiums carry a "very high" risk of extreme heat, with two of them posing a particular threat to players and spectators alike. That research singled out the venues in Arlington and Houston — both in Texas — along with the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey as the most likely to trigger severe heat stress. "This set of studies underscores the need to plan ahead for major events such as the World Cup, as well as implement proactive policies to mitigate heat. As the WBGT index only considers environmental conditions and does not incorporate sport's own metabolic heat production or the insulating effects of clothing, which can limit heat loss, more advanced models and predictive tools are required to ensure the safety of athletes," said Julien Périard, director of the Institute of Sport and Exercise Research at the University of Canberra, speaking to SMC Spain. What FIFA is doing about it FIFA says the 2026 match calendar was drawn up after a technical review of every venue, weighing average temperatures, cooling infrastructure, public transport and security conditions. Responding to the heat warnings, the governing body has announced three-minute hydration breaks at the midpoint of each half in every match of the tournament. WWA's specialists, however, argue that this single step is not enough on its own. They call for it to be paired with further safeguards — reworked warm-up schedules for players, upgrades to stadium infrastructure and cooling systems, and tighter medical supervision of both players and fans during matches. What this means for you • For fans heading to the matches: If you plan to attend games in Miami, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City or Philadelphia, brace for dangerous midday heat — carry water, plan for shade and watch for signs of heat exhaustion. • For viewers: Matches in the hottest cities may see slower play, extra hydration breaks and even possible delays or suspensions, which can change how a game unfolds. Questions & Answers 1. How many World Cup 2026 matches could be played in dangerous heat? The study says about a quarter of matches could fall into the first risk band, and at least five will be played at or above 82° F on the WBGT scale. 2. Which cities are most at risk? Miami, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Dallas and Houston are the most worrying, each with a one-year return period for an 82.4° F WBGT event. 3. What is WBGT? It is the wet-bulb globe temperature, which combines air temperature with humidity, solar radiation and wind to measure heat stress on the body. FIFPro sets 26° C and 28° C as key thresholds. 4. What is FIFA doing about the heat? FIFA has announced three-minute hydration breaks at the midpoint of each half in every match of the tournament. https://trendkia.com/en/science/varlda-kapa-2026-hara-chautha-mukabala-janaleva-garmi-men-nai-stadi-ne-barhai-ba-1008 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.