"The intensity of the game goes down" — that's Norwegian midfielder Morten Thorsby, and he's not wrong. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, spread across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is heading into one of the most climatically hostile summers the region has seen in years. This isn't a background concern. It's a tournament-shaping factor.
England open against Croatia on June 17 in Dallas, Texas. The city is one of several flagged in preliminary research as likely to exceed a wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 32°C — the threshold at which FIFA rules say a match should be considered for suspension. Houston and Monterrey are on the same list. Ten of the 16 host venues are rated at very high risk of extreme heat stress.
What the numbers actually mean
WBGT isn't just air temperature — it folds in humidity, direct sunlight, and wind speed. It's the closest measurement we have to what a body actually feels during exertion. Several football bodies, including global players' union Fifpro, treat anything above 28°C WBGT as grounds to delay or postpone a match. FIFA's own line sits at 32°C. That four-degree gap is a problem when it's the players' bodies on the line.
Studies consistently show that in extreme heat, players cover less ground, sprint less, and fatigue faster. Tired legs don't just hurt performance — they invite injury and, tellingly, more penalty shootouts, as exhausted teams stop trying to break each other down in normal time. If you're backing a team to win in 90 minutes, the conditions in Dallas, Houston, or Monterrey are working against you.
Mexico has already been hammered this year. Hermosillo hit 42°C in March. Children in Mexico are finishing school six weeks early due to an extreme heat wave. Thirteen World Cup games are being played there — in Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey. Canada's 13 games are far more manageable, sitting in the 20–25°C range.
FIFA's response — and its limits
FIFA is introducing more evening kickoffs, mandatory three-minute cooling breaks in each half, five substitutions, and climate-controlled benches for staff and substitutes. These are sensible adjustments. They're also not enough.
The core issue is that most stadiums are open-air. No amount of shaded benches changes what it feels like to press and counter-press in 38-degree heat at altitude. Thorsby and a group of current and former professionals have already written to FIFA demanding stronger protections. The governing body's response was standard corporate reassurance: "FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff."
Then there's the wildfire problem. Nearly 30,000 fires have already burned across the US this year — the most in almost two decades — and summer is when conditions worsen. Poor air quality could affect training and matchday conditions in ways that are genuinely hard to plan for. Add in the summer thunderstorm risk across Miami, Houston, and Atlanta — where lightning within 10 miles triggers a mandatory 30-minute suspension — and the scheduling headaches multiply.
The 2026 World Cup is being sold as a celebration of football across a continent. It may also be remembered as the tournament where the climate became a co-author of the results.
