Football was faced with serious problems from the heat observed at the World Cup, recently ending in the United States that players and fans can encounter when the United States is organizing the World Cup with the World Cup.
With an increase in temperature around the world, scientists warn that the World Cup and other football tournaments in the Northern Hemisphere are becoming more dangerous for both players and spectators.
Some indicate that FIFA may have to consider the possibility of adjusting calendar football matches to reduce the risk of developing diseases associated with heat.
“The deeper we get in a decade, the greater the risk, if we do not consider more dramatic measures, such as racing in the winter months and/or in cooler geographical plates“According to Professor Pierce Foster, director of the Presley Center in the future of the climate in Lids, England.
“I am increasingly concerned that we only refrain from a wave of heat from sports tragedy, and I would like administrative tools to be bent over the climate and the science of health“He added.
Nevertheless, football tournaments in June and July are a tradition, starting from the first world championship of 1930, and were interrupted only in the last 2022 of the World Cup held in Qatar from mid -November to Christmas from exorbitant temperatures in the Arab country.
In 1930, however, in June, July and August, he would be heated around the world at 1.05 degrees Celsius, according to the National Ocean and the US atmosphere. At the same time, European Summer temperatures increased by 1.81 degrees Celsius. The rate of fever has accelerated since the 1990s.
Climates scientists say that this is a factor that should be taken into account when class in open air with high intensity, such as football.
“If you want to play football for 10 hours a day, it should be a clock early in the morning and late at night“Climatologist Friedrik Otto from the Imperial College London told Associated Press in E -Message.”If you do not want to die by players and fans from a thermal shock or seriously the thermal exhaustion.“
FIFA was supposed to be adapted to climate change
Extreme heat and thunderstorms affected the recently expanded FIFA tournament for club groups. The World Association Championship was held in 11 cities of the United States from June 14 to July 13.
FIFA was adapted by adjusting the Extreme Heat protocol to enable additional gaps in the game, more water next to the stadium and cooling of the fan benches and more shadows.
Nevertheless, Chelsea Enzo Fernandez said that the heat stunned him and called on FIFA to avoid the intersection of the day at the World Cup next year.
The World Football Association, FIFPRO, warned that six of the 16 cities of the World Cup next year are at an “extremely high risk” for Thermal voltageField
FIFA President Gianni Infantino ran into concern about the heat on Saturday, saying that only court The World Cup will be used during the day next year.
Extreme heat can be an even greater problem on the next 2030 of the World Cup organized by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Matches should take place in the afternoon and early evening from mid -June to mid -July. All three countries have already seen the temperature exceed 40 degrees Celsius this summer.
FIFA reduced the risk of heat to the internal assessment of the 2030 World Cup, saying that “weather conditions are difficult to predict with the current evolution of the world and local climate, but this will hardly affect the health of players or other participants.”
Thermal exhaustion is a real risk
The physical consequences of a 90 -minute football game in direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day can be serious and can lead to hyperthermia, that is, to an unusually high body temperature.
“When players experience hyperthermia, they also experience an increase in cardiovascular stress“Said Julien Periard from the University of Camerra.
“If the nucleus temperature increases excessively, thermal diseases can occur due to physical exercises “According to him, leading to muscle convulsions, thermal exhaustion and even life threatening life.
Many summer sporting events adapt their initial hours early in the morning or late in the evening to minimize the risk of diseases associated with heat, including marathons at the Olympic Games or at the World Athletics Championship.
Morning, however, is rare in football, where the World Cup matches are often determined by the European television audience.
FIFA would be difficult to avoid intersection in the early hours at the upcoming World Cup, given the full racing program, since the number of participating teams increases from 32 to 48 in 2026.
Overlooking the calendar
The heat is mainly the question of when the World Cup is held in the Northern Hemisphere, because in June and July the winter months in the southern hemisphere.
Fifa insisted on her traditional program in June-July for the World Cup in the male world, with the exception of 2022, when she delivered a tournament to November-December to avoid summer heat in Qatar. It is expected that something like this will happen when neighboring Saudi Arabia holds a tournament in 2034.
Nevertheless, the transfer of the World Cup is difficult in another year in the year, because this means that the strong football leagues in Europe should stop their season, affecting both the home championship and the very popular and commercial league of the champions.
FIFA did not answer AP questions about whether alternative dates for the World Cups in 2030 and 2034 are considered.
When and where the World Cup is planned, and other sporting events in the open air will probably become more relevant, since people will continue to warm up.
According to Olya Jay, a professor at the University of Sydney, not only athletes, but even daily people who perform basic physical exercises were 28% more at moderate or higher risk of heat than in the 1990s.
“This symbolizes something more“Said Michael Mann, a climate at the University of Pennsylvania.”Not only the danger and troubles for fans and players, but also the fundamentally disturbed nature of climate change when it comes to our current lifestyle“