The heat of the East on July 4 threatens the players and fans of the World Cup

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The heat of the East on July 4 threatens the players and fans of the World Cup

Los Angeles (AP) – Saturday afternoon’s round-robin match between France and Paraguay in Philadelphia could be the hottest of the World Cup, posing risks for the region and the athletes and tens of thousands of fans in the open field.

The heat wave is expected to continue across the eastern and central US until the end of the week, with high temperatures – which include air temperature and humidity – between 100 F to 115 F (37.78 C to 46.11 C), according to the National Weather Service. High overnight temperatures will bring little relief and records may be broken.

Earlier this week, France’s players braved temperatures of up to 90 F (32.22 C) through field sprinklers during their match against Sweden in New Jersey.

Concerns about extreme heat during matches in the US, Canada and Mexico have been growing for months, with some scientists saying FIFA’s heat safety guidelines are “inadequate” and “unforgivable,” even for players who are used to the heat. For viewers, that can mean games are slower and less intense.

The world has warmed about 1.26 F (0.7 C) in the three decades since the US last hosted the World Cup, according to the climate monitoring group Berkeley Earth. Global warming is accelerating and making heat waves and other extreme weather conditions more common.

The humid heat that has engulfed the country, and parts of Canada, “would not have happened” without climate change, scientists with the World Weather Attribution said on Friday.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was moved from summer to winter due to extreme heat, and last year, temperatures rose at the Team World Cup. The World Footballers’ Union has warned that extreme heat could be a major problem in this and the next World Cup.

One of the hottest World Cup games was in 1994 in Orlando, Florida, when temperatures reached 110 F (43.33 C).

Heat is the number one killer of athletes

Heat strikes people from both their surroundings and when their bodies are warm during exercise. That makes it difficult to cool the air when it’s really hot and humid, says Bharat Venkat, director of the Heat Lab at the University of California, Los Angeles.

“Therefore, when you exert yourself on a very hot day, the chances of you facing heat-related illnesses or even death are very high,” he said.

Exercising too much on a hot day can lead to extreme fatigue, poor performance, headaches, irritability, nausea, dizziness, suffocation and dehydration, all symptoms of heat illness.

Heat stroke requires immediate care and is the third leading cause of death in athletes.

When the global wet temperature — which includes temperature, humidity, cloud cover and wind — reaches more than 95 F (35 C), people lose their ability to cool down quickly, said Ryan Calsbeek, a professor of biology at Dartmouth College, and “the methods of life science just break down.”

Confusion caused by heat can affect a player’s decisions and can determine the outcome of a game, he said.

Are FIFA’s heat safety rules sufficient?

Mandatory three-minute water breaks during each half to protect players, and referees, from heatstroke. But they have drawn criticism from different groups: some say they disrupt the flow of the game and give coaches an opportunity to change the momentum in their team’s favor, while other scientists say the break should be long enough for players to cool down reasonably and rehydrate when the heat is over.

Outdoor games during high temperatures are also limited, and those expected in warm windows have been prioritized for covered stadiums, FIFA said.

FIFA guidelines state that a game can be postponed if the wet bulb temperature reaches 89.60 F (32 C). But that temperature is “so bad that in the military, in our basic training facilities in America, if it reaches 32, it’s a black flag and all training should be canceled and suspended,” said Douglas Casa, CEO of the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute.

Temperatures are forecast to top 100 F (37.78 C) during Saturday’s game in Philadelphia. The players’ union FIFPRO, along with the American College of Sports Medicine, called for games to be delayed to 82.40 F (28 C) for safety.

Athletes can train for heat stress during exercise

Guilherme Passos monitors and prepares the Brazilian national team for extreme heat as a sports scientist at the Brazilian Football Federation.

He helped the team get used to the US heat. “If you expose yourself during the hottest part of the day, you can lose the level of training,” he said. They use saunas or hot baths as they warm up the train during the race.

When Brazil hosted the World Cup in 2014, Passos said, players covered less distance and reduced their speed, and instead increased their technical and tactical precision.

“Football players are a truly unique combination of athletic qualities,” Calsbeek said. “They have to have extreme endurance and explosive speed. Plus, they have to make really critical decisions. All those different parts of the game are going to be affected by the temperature.”

But footballers are not the only ones at risk. Many football fans drink alcohol and watch the World Cup. When it’s hot, doing that is dangerous. Cities and stadiums have increased access to shade, cooling and water facilities, and medical staff have been stationed at FIFA Fan Festivals and stadiums.

“People will be dehydrated, very happy, and not want to leave the game,” Calsbeek said. “We will probably see, at those high temperatures, the spectators pay the price.”

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The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation on integrating water and environmental policy. AP is solely responsible for all content. For all AP environmental coverage, visit

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