A new report has warned that up to a quarter of matches at the 2026 World Cup in North America could face unsafe heat conditions, with 10 of the 16 venues at very high risk of extreme heat stress. The study, titled 'Pitches in Peril' and published by Football for Future and Common Goal, provides the first IPCC-aligned climate risk assessment of all host stadiums in the US, Canada and Mexico.
By 2050, nearly 90% of host stadiums will require adaptation to extreme heat, while a third will face water demand equal to or exceeding supply. The report also highlights risks to the 2030 tournament co-hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, and the 2034 edition in Saudi Arabia, as well as grassroots pitches where stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo began their careers.
Juan Mata, a 2010 World Cup winner from Spain, commented on the findings: 'As someone from Spain, I can’t ignore the climate crisis. Football has always brought people together, but now it’s also a reminder of what we stand to lose.' This year's Club World Cup in the US offered a troubling preview, with players describing conditions as 'impossible', forcing FIFA to introduce cooling breaks, shaded benches and air fans.
The report reveals that 14 of the 16 stadiums exceeded safety thresholds in 2025 for at least three major climate hazards, and 13 already experience at least one day each summer exceeding FIFA's threshold for drinks breaks of 32°C Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). Cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami and Monterrey see such conditions for two months or more. Ten venues record at least one day with a WBGT of 35°C – the limit of human adaptability – with Dallas experiencing 31 such days and Houston 51.
Risks extend beyond elite venues. The report notes that Mohamed Salah's home ground in Egypt could face over a month of unplayable heat annually, while William Troost-Ekong's childhood pitch in Nigeria could see 338 days of extreme heat by 2050. Piers Forster, director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds, said: 'As we move further into the decade, risks will continue growing unless we take drastic measures, such as moving competitions to winter months or cooler regions.'
The 96-page report urges the football industry to commit to net-zero emissions by 2040 and publish credible decarbonisation plans. It also calls on tournament organisers to create adaptation funds. A poll of 3,600 fans across the three host nations found that 91% want the 2026 World Cup to be a sustainability role model.
