How climate change and heat stress will impact the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Before the heat rises on the pitch, a new scientific analysis by the World Weather Attribution (WWA), a climate research group, has warned that human-induced climate change has made heat stress at the upcoming World Cup more likely than it was in 1994.The study found that more matches will be played under humid heat conditions, which pose health risks to not only athletes, but also fans, officials and staff inside and outside the venues. It also mapped city and venue-specific heat stress risks, and the matchdays that will see high humid heat.What did the study analyse and what did it find? Researchers from Imperial College London analysed Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) across 16 venues in the United States, Mexico and Canada during the tournament period of June 11 to July 19. WBGT is a composite index which factors in the combined effect of humidity, sunlight and winds to determine how the human body can regulate internal heat and cool itself. The research involved comparing today’s climate and temperature with those of 1994, which was 0.7°C cooler. Using climate and weather model simulations, the researchers assessed how many cities or venues were likely to see WBGT exceed the threshold of 26°C. To be sure, a WBGT of 26°C translates to temperatures of roughly 30°C with mid to high humidity, or the equivalent of 38°C in dry heat, as per WWA.
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