“Why climate change might compel FIFA to revise the World Cup schedule.”

Soccer Confronts Rising Heat as Climate Change Threatens Summer Tournaments

The recent FIFA Club World Cup in the United States exposed the growing dangers of extreme heat, offering a troubling glimpse of the conditions players and fans could face when the U.S., Mexico, and Canada co-host the World Cup next summer.

As global temperatures continue to climb, experts are raising alarms about the risks of holding major soccer tournaments during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer months. Scientists warn that without serious adjustments, such as shifting the tournament to cooler seasons or locations, the health and safety of players and spectators could be at stake.

“We’re reaching a point where sticking to the traditional calendar may no longer be safe,” said Professor Piers Forster, director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures in Leeds, England. “The risk grows with every year, and unless FIFA acts decisively—perhaps even moving matches to winter or cooler regions—we could be on the brink of a climate-related sporting disaster.”

Since the inaugural World Cup in 1930, soccer’s biggest tournament has traditionally been played in June and July. But with climate pressures mounting, that longstanding tradition may soon need a rethink.

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