2026 World Cup: One in Five Matches Exceeded Players' Union Heat Threshold

A Guardian analysis found 20 of the 2026 World Cup's 104 matches hit or exceeded 28°C Wet Bulb Globe Temperature — a measure combining heat, humidity, and radiation. Players' union FIFPRO says that level should trigger delays. Twenty-three more matches saw dangerous heat but used stadium cooling. FIFA's own threshold sits higher, at 32°C, and it hasn't adopted FIFPRO's standard.