11.06.2026 12:50
At the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, teams will not only face each other but also extreme heat and storms. Most matches will be played at temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius, while some stadiums will use roofs and cooling systems.
The countries that will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will not only compete against each other but also battle extreme heat and adverse weather conditions.
The 2026 World Cup, poised to be one of the hottest tournaments in recent years, may also face delays or postponements due to storms.
In the tournament, featuring 48 nations for the first time, hot weather will affect nearly all cities hosting the 104 matches.
Analyses reveal that a significant portion of matches could be played in temperatures averaging over 32 degrees Celsius, with some stadiums experiencing even higher perceived temperatures.
In the USA, which also hosted the World Cup in 1994, the match between Mexico and Ireland in Orlando was recorded as one of the toughest in tournament history, with temperatures reaching up to 47 degrees Celsius.
Roofs of 3 stadiums will close
In some cities with high average temperatures, players and fans will be protected from adverse weather conditions through roof and cooling systems.
In Dallas, set to host the most matches (9), average temperatures are expected to be 32.2 degrees Celsius, with forecasts predicting semi-final day temperatures rising above 34 degrees Celsius.
Alongside Dallas, stadiums in Houston and Atlanta, hosting a total of 15 matches, plan to minimize the heat impact using roof and cooling systems.
Threat of both heat and storms in Miami
Throughout the tournament, the performance of teams and the flow of matches may be threatened not only by hot weather but also by the possibility of storms in some cities.
According to US safety protocols, matches must be suspended if lightning is detected within a certain distance around the stadium. If a new lightning strike is detected, the waiting period restarts.
Last year's FIFA Club World Cup match between Chelsea and Benfica took over 4 hours to complete due to lightning-related delays.
Meteorologists warn that regular afternoon storms may occur in Miami and Mexico City, while severe seasonal weather events could happen in Kansas City.
Perceived temperature on the field is higher
The perceived temperature on the field can rise significantly above official measurements due to solar radiation accumulating on the ground and stadium structures reducing airflow.
High temperatures and humidity reduce players' running distances, make high-intensity pressing games more difficult, and significantly impact match rhythm.
FIFA emphasizes that health and safety measures will be implemented at the highest level throughout the tournament and will allow fans to bring sealed water bottles into stadiums.
'Hot weather makes us feel at home'
Not all football fans following the World Cup are worried about the heat.
Juan, a fan living in Toronto who supports Colombia, told AA, 'I hope we do a really good job in the World Cup. I don't think we'll win the World Cup, but I hope we can at least reach the semi-finals. I'm Colombian, so I'm from South America. That's why hot weather makes us feel at home. I hope this will be an advantage for us against other teams coming from colder weather.'
Henrique, a fan who supports Brazil and lives in Dublin, said, 'I think we'll do well, but I don't have very high expectations for us to win the World Cup. We'll make it to the quarter-finals or so, maybe even the semi-finals. But it's tough because there are other good countries too. We plan to fly to Miami next week, and it will be very hot there. We live in Ireland, so this is good for us because Ireland is very cold and rainy. So we'll take advantage of this. We'll enjoy the weather.'