Overview

• Under FIFPRO’s 28 °C wet-bulb globe temperature guideline, six of the 16 2026 World Cup host cities are classified as “extremely high risk” for heat-stress injuries.
• The players’ union has formally recommended extending half-time to 20 minutes and introducing cooling breaks every 15 minutes in matches played under extreme heat conditions.
• FIFPRO also urged FIFA to ban midday kick-offs in high-risk venues and reschedule those games to later slots to avoid peak temperatures.
• During the US Club World Cup, FIFA reacted by lowering cooling-break thresholds and increasing pitch-side hydration but did not adopt pre-tournament scheduling adjustments.
• Looking ahead, the union warns that 2030 hosts Spain, Portugal and Morocco could face even hotter conditions that will demand equally stringent heat-safety protocols.