How extreme weather, heat could affect playersat World Cup 2026
Shirtless football players lying on the pitch have seldom raised eyebrows as they did last week when photographs of European players struggling to train in the heat sparked concerns over United States (US) summer temperatures at the World Cup. Scientists have long cautioned that extreme heat could disrupt sporting events. Last month, climate experts warned […] The post How extreme weather, heat could affect playersat World Cup 2026 appeared first on The Namibian .
Shirtless football players lying on the pitch have seldom raised eyebrows as they did last week when photographs of European players struggling to train in the heat sparked concerns over United States (US) summer temperatures at the World Cup.
Scientists have long cautioned that extreme heat could disrupt sporting events. Last month, climate experts warned that one in four World Cup games could be played in very hot conditions, affecting fans and players alike.
Those warnings materialised last week.
Social media was abuzz with sunburnt players – mostly from European teams used to cooler climates – dousing themselves with water to cool off.
Norway’s team even opted to wear ice collars around their necks during the friendly against Morocco.
But England captain Harry Kane has dismissed speculation over how much the heat would affect players, saying it “won’t be a factor”, thanks to his team’s World Cup training regimen.
