FIFA told to take action immediately or risk player health at World Cup

A group of respected experts – including academics and clinicians from around the globe – have penned an open letter to FIFA suggesting the organisation should overhaul its approach to dealing with high temperatures during the World Cup.

With the tournament just 28 days away, organisers are already putting plans in place before welcoming all 48 participating nations.

There have already been major concerns over Iran’s participation due to the ongoing conflict with the US, although it appears the Middle Eastern nation will, in fact, take part.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has announced it will waive costly visa bonds for World Cup ticket holders.

However, further concerns about heat safety risks have been raised by a group of scientists, who have warned FIFA that the current protocol in place is “inadequate” and poses a risk to players’ health, with temperatures ranging between 30 and 40°C in the southern parts of the US and northern Mexico.

FIFA has already made clear that it has assessed the risks and is “committed” to “protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff”.

But in an open letter to global football’s governing body, experts in health and climate have raised concerns about the “well-being” of players, suggesting the current FIFA guidelines are out of line with current science and may result in a “risk of heat injury”.

FIFA’s medical strategy from the summer of 2025 states: “FIFA will … proactively identify, assess and respond to emerging health issues that could impact football or be mitigated through the game, including how pandemics, climate change, air pollution and new injury and illness patterns or behaviours might affect player welfare.”

Concerns raised over FIFA World Cup heat safety measures

The group claims the organisation has failed to “conduct, assess or apply recent research into the increasing risks of climate change and extreme heat to players across the world, and the apparent failure to update formal guidelines issued in 2015”.

They also put forward the idea of longer cooling breaks, clearer protocol, and even the postponement of matches should extreme conditions occur.

Donald Trump with the World Cup trophy in his office at the White House. Image: Getty

According to the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), the global standard-setter for heat measurement in sport, around 28°C is said to be the point at which heat stress becomes a concern for elite athletes.

As per FIFA’s emergency care manual, if the WBGT reading is around 32°C, then the organisation should agree “what precautions need to be taken to prevent any heat-related illness from occurring”.

The 20 experts who have signed the letter have outlined what they believe FIFA needs to change, focusing on delaying or postponing matches above 28°C, longer cooling breaks of around six minutes, improved player-cooling facilities, and regular updates to the guidelines based on current science.

The report adds: “Although special measures have been introduced for cooling breaks regardless of temperature at the World Cup, at present FIFA’s general guidelines state that if there is a WGBT of more than 32°C (89.6°F) cooling breaks are mandatory in both halves of a match, around the 30th minute and 75th minute. The decision on whether to suspend or cancel the match is at the discretion of competition organisers 4,5 .

“While we can expect from professional athletes higher resilience compared to the baseline population, the safety level of 32°C WBGT for activities involving running is impossible to justify. To give an indication of how extremely hot a WBGT of 32 degrees centigrade is: an air temperature of 45°C and relative humidity of 20% would yield a WBGT of 31.9°C (approximations: no direct sunlight, wind speed of 1m/s).

“According to FIFA’s general current guidelines, this would not normally require any mandatory cooling breaks and the decision to postpone or suspend the match would be at the discretion of the match management team. As clinicians, public health and performance practitioners, we recognise that a WBGT of 26°C and above represents a high-risk environment for competitive football.”

The World Cup gets underway on June 11 with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa.