WestBengal: The scorching heat and ‘heat dome’ situation in North America during the FIFA World Cup 2026 has increased the concern of players and spectators. According to Climate Central report, the intensity of deadly heat has increased almost 5 times due to climate change, making conditions in stadiums without air conditioning extremely dangerous. The report states that before the July 4 weekend, temperatures in many cities of eastern North America are expected to be about 9.6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. This can have a direct impact on the health and performance of the players during the knockout matches. According to experts, many matches of the tournament are being played in stadiums which do not have AC facilities. Some stadiums are fully equipped with climate control systems, which is creating unequal conditions between the teams. No-AC stadiums include venues like New York (New Jersey), Miami, Philadelphia and Toronto, where players are facing extreme heat. On the contrary, stadiums with AC like Houston, Dallas and Atlanta are being considered as safe zones. Analysts say that this situation is now also affecting the fair environment of the game, as the pressure on the fitness and recovery of the players is increasing due to the heat. During many matches, the game has even had to be stopped midway due to bad weather and storms. There has been a warning that the temperature in many cities will be much above normal on July 4. In some matches played earlier, players and spectators had to face problems due to humidity and heat.
Weather hits FIFA tournament, heat increases 5 times
