A Climate Central report warns that climate change is increasing the likelihood of performance-impairing heat during 97 of the 104 matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Researchers say temperatures above 28°C can reduce player performance and raise health risks, with experts warning that extreme heat could increasingly affect the safety, scheduling and competitiveness of major sporting events.

Lucknow: A new analysis has found that climate change is increasing the likelihood of heat conditions that could reduce player performance during almost every match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, raising concerns over athlete safety and the quality of play.

According to a report released by Climate Central, 97 of the 104 scheduled matches in the tournament are now more likely to experience temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius, a threshold linked to declines in football performance. Researchers said such heat can reduce sprinting frequency, total distance covered by players and recovery rates during matches.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The study suggests that rising global temperatures caused by human-induced climate change are making extreme heat increasingly common during major sporting events.

Nearly half of all scheduled matches have at least a 50 per cent chance of experiencing performance-impairing heat. In 26 matches, climate change has increased that likelihood by at least 10 percentage points.