US heatwave raises alarm for FIFA World Cup 2026 as players, fans suffer during Club World Cup

It’s not just empty seats that are haunting the expanded FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the United States, but also the soaring temperatures. The situation has set alarm bells ringing, especially with the US set to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The loudest voice of complaint so far has been Atletico Madrid footballer Marcos Llorente, who was visibly unhappy with the climate conditions during his team’s 4–0 defeat to European champions Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.

Players, fans suffer in searing heat during FIFA Club World Cup

“Playing in this heat is impossible," Llorente after the match at the Rose Bowl Stadium in California. “The heat is terrible. My toes hurt, even my toenails — I couldn’t stop or start running. It’s unbelievable, but since it’s the same for everyone… there’s no point complaining.”

As per the websites that report on weather, the temperatures during the PSG vs Atleti match neared 32°C and it has been almost the same for other games as well. The fans during the match at Rose Bowl had also complained about long queues in the heat, lack of shaded areas in the stadium and water restrictions at entry.

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It’s no surprise that the FIFA Club World Cup is facing the impact of harsh weather as June is among the summer months in the US. The issue has been compounded by the fact that matches are taking place in open-air stadiums that do not have climate-controlled roofing. These stadiums include Camping World Stadium in Orlando, the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles and Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

Players & fans at PSG - Atletico were subjected to blazing sunshine as the temperature reached 31C after midday KO in Pasadena.

FIFA's decision to schedule 35/63 games earlier than 17:00 local time has raised eyebrows -world players' union Fifpro. [BBC]pic.twitter.com/ioh8ghIBhv

— Kyama ⚽ (@ElijahKyama_) June 16, 2025

FIFA World Cup 2026 in US could be equally hot

Things are not expected to be much different during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The mega event next year will be held across 11 stadiums in the US, two in Canada and three in Mexico. But only five out of those 16 stadiums have roofs, while the remaining are open-air stadiums. The weather next year is expected to be equally harsh across venues.

The match timings have also contributed to the misery, with some of the games taking place in the afternoon and multiple early kickoffs on the roster due to the time difference between different geographies.

The world players’ union FIFPRO has already asked FIFA to change the scheduling. “FIFPRO has consistently advocated for comprehensive heat protection measures including mandatory cooling breaks, adjustments to kick-off times to avoid the most intense heat, and the postponement of matches when conditions pose a serious health risk to players,” FIFPRO said.

“With tournaments like the Club World Cup featuring dense match schedules and hot climates in locations such as Orlando and Miami, extreme heat is becoming an increasingly important health and safety issue in professional football.

“FIFPRO will closely monitor the situation in the coming weeks with a view to prioritising player welfare over other considerations.”

Currently, one mandatory break per half is allowed to tackle the humid and hot conditions, but it’s not proving to be enough. However, FIFA looks unbothered as it maintains that the Club World Cup is held on the lines of the broader International Match Calendar and sufficient protocols are already in place.