The 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams competing across 104 matches held in three host nations.

SUPERBALL.ID - Matches played in Mexico during the 2026 World Cup are expected to proceed at a slower tempo compared to those hosted in the United States and Canada.

Mexico, one of the host nations, will stage the opening match of this expanded 48-team tournament on Thursday, June 11 (local time), with ‘El Tri’ facing South Africa in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener.

Out of the total 104 fixtures, 13 will take place in Mexico — specifically in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.

However, it appears that games in Mexico may differ slightly from those played in its North American neighbours.

As pointed out in a TikTok video by user Tiannahpedler, matches in Mexico could unfold at a slower pace due to altitude factors.

Mexico City sits at an elevation of 2,240 metres above sea level, while Guadalajara stands at a similar altitude, comparable to ski resorts in Europe.

With greater physical exertion and slower recovery times, high-altitude matches naturally pose more demanding conditions for players.

This is something that high-intensity teams relying on pressing tactics will need to bear in mind.

Francois Billaut, a professor at Universite Laval in Quebec, Canada, with two decades of research experience on the subject, told The Athletic that barometric pressure decreases with higher altitude.

The reduction in oxygen becomes a major concern for endurance, as athletes’ muscles receive less oxygen.

In 2023, Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates were seen inhaling oxygen through tubes as preparation for a daunting match played at an altitude of over 3,637 metres above sea level at the Hernando Siles Stadium in La Paz, Bolivia.

Similar conditions were condemned as ‘inhumane’ by Neymar, prompting FIFA at one stage to ban the stadium from hosting World Cup qualifiers due to its extreme altitude.

Players accustomed to high-altitude environments are well aware of these challenges and typically adjust their preparations to adapt accordingly.

In addition to the physical demands, ball trajectory is also affected in thinner air at high-altitude venues, as the ball tends to travel faster and cover longer distances.

This could lead to potential variations in long passes, long-range shots, and set pieces — an aspect goalkeepers in particular must pay close attention to.

Warnings about World Cup conditions were issued by the UNFCCC just days before the tournament.

While Mexico’s altitude poses unique challenges, weather conditions across all three host nations are expected to be a major talking point throughout the competition.

The United Nations Climate Change body released a detailed information package outlining the potential impact of extreme heat on match conditions.

Cooling and hydration breaks are expected to become a defining feature of this World Cup, as new data from World Weather Attribution revealed that 26 of the 104 matches could take place under conditions where experts have advised FIFPRO, the global players’ union, that dangerous heat levels present a genuine risk.

Even Toronto and Vancouver — typically cooler venues — remain vulnerable to heatwaves.

The findings also showed that nearly half of all World Cup fixtures carry at least a 50 percent likelihood of being played in temperatures high enough to hinder performance.

A study analysing 57 matches and 1,070 player observations from the FIFA Club World Cup found that players faced exposure to extreme heat-related illness risks in 31 of those matches.

Many substitutes reportedly chose to remain inside dressing rooms during play to avoid excessive heat.

It is widely believed that player rotation and substitution strategies will play a critical role throughout the World Cup due to elevated temperatures, with some matches potentially being played at a slower pace as players conserve energy.