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Business Standard
a day ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Players' union warns of heat risks at upcoming World Cups after US swelter
Extreme heat faced by soccer players at the Club World Cup in the United States will likely be an even bigger problem at the next two men's World Cups, their global union FIFPRO warned on Monday. The monthlong club event is being played in a heatwave in 11 American cities and union officials praised FIFA for helping to better protect players with cooling measures at games. Still, FIFA did not take FIFPRO's pre-tournament advice to look at postponing kickoff times by several hours on the hottest days a move that would be even more complicated at a World Cup with more commercial pressures in play and more games scheduled each day. Six of the 16 World Cup host cities next year in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are judged by FIFPRO as extremely high risk for heat stress injury to players among the 48 teams. The highest risk cities are Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas, Miami and Monterrey though some have indoor, air-conditioned stadiums. We are anticipating that this problem is going to be even more crucial for the coming years, FIFPRO medical director Vincent Gouttebarge told reporters in a briefing call. The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted in June and July by Spain, Portugal and Morocco where fewer stadiums are enclosed and cooled, and temperatures in some cities on Monday were at or above 100 degrees F (38 C). By 2030 the hot weather prospects for the tournament there is even perhaps worse than what we have been facing so far, Gouttebarge cautioned. FIFPRO said extra heat mitigation measures could include 20-minute halftime breaks instead of 15 to help lower players' core temperatures, and cooling breaks in play every 15 minutes. Currently, breaks are taken in the 30th minute of each half. FIFA was approached for comment. FIFA has reacted during the Club World Cup to lower the threshold for insisting on cooling or water breaks, plus placing more water and towels around the edge of the field. We are partially happy because FIFA have been quite responsive once the tournament was underway, FIFPRO CEO-like general secretary Alex Phillips said. Better shading benches for the substitutes and more hydration breaks are also preferred by the union, which has national affiliates representing players in about 70 countries. All these practical things is something that we must do better, said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO strategy director, though adding at some point that probably won't be enough. The union gave its research to FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup opening on June 14, based on weather trends in the host cities since 2014. Seven of the 11 were judged high risk with Philadelphia and Washington, DC, at the top end. The past few weeks was also a confirmation of our worry, Gouttebarge said, that the heat condition would play a negative role for the performance and health of the players. Six Club World Cup games also were stopped because of forecast electric storms nearby. The delay was nearly two hours in Charlotte during Chelsea's win in the round of 16 against Benfica. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Climate
- Boston Globe
After Club World Cup heatwave in US, soccer players' union warns of higher risk at next World Cups
Six of the 16 World Cup host cities next year in the US, Canada, and Mexico are judged by FIFPRO as 'extremely high risk' for heat stress injury to players among the 48 teams. The highest risk cities are Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, and Monterrey though some have indoor, air-conditioned stadiums. 'We are anticipating that this problem is going to be even more crucial for the coming years,' FIFPRO medical director Vincent Gouttebarge told reporters in a briefing call. Advertisement The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted in June and July by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco where fewer stadiums are enclosed and cooled, and temperatures in some cities on Monday were at or above 100 degrees. By 2030 the hot weather prospects for the tournament there 'is even perhaps worse than what we have been facing so far,' Gouttebarge cautioned. FIFPRO said extra heat mitigation measures could include 20-minute halftime breaks instead of 15 to help lower players' core temperatures, and cooling breaks in play every 15 minutes. Currently, breaks are taken in the 30th minute of each half. Advertisement FIFA was approached for comment. FIFA has reacted during the Club World Cup to lower the threshold for insisting on cooling or water breaks, plus placing more water and towels around the edge of the field. 'We are partially happy because FIFA have been quite responsive once the tournament was underway,' FIFPRO CEO-like general secretary Alex Phillips said. Better shading benches for the substitutes and more hydration breaks are also preferred by the union, which has national affiliates representing players in about 70 countries. 'All these practical things is something that we must do better,' said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO strategy director, though adding 'at some point that probably won't be enough.' The union gave its research to FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup opening on June 14, based on weather trends in the host cities since 2014. Seven of the 11 were judged high risk with Philadelphia and Washington, DC, at the top end. 'The past few weeks was also a confirmation of our worry,' Gouttebarge said, 'that the heat condition would play a negative role for the performance and health of the players.' Six Club World Cup games also were stopped because of forecast electric storms nearby. The delay was nearly two hours Saturday in Charlotte, N.C., during Chelsea's win in the round of 16 against Benfica.
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
After Club World Cup heatwave in US, soccer players' union warns of higher risk at next World Cups
The monthlong club event is being played in a heatwave in 11 American cities and union officials praised FIFA for helping to better protect players with cooling measures at games. Still, FIFA did not take FIFPRO's pre-tournament advice to look at postponing kickoff times by several hours on the hottest days — a move that would be even more complicated at a World Cup with more commercial pressures in play and more games scheduled each day. Six of the 16 World Cup host cities next year in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are judged by FIFPRO as 'extremely high risk' for heat stress injury to players among the 48 teams. The highest risk cities are Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas, Miami and Monterrey though some have indoor, air-conditioned stadiums. 'We are anticipating that this problem is going to be even more crucial for the coming years,' FIFPRO medical director Vincent Gouttebarge told reporters in a briefing call. The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted in June and July by Spain, Portugal and Morocco where fewer stadiums are enclosed and cooled, and temperatures in some cities on Monday were at or above 100 degrees F (38 C). By 2030 the hot weather prospects for the tournament there 'is even perhaps worse than what we have been facing so far,' Gouttebarge cautioned. FIFPRO said extra heat mitigation measures could include 20-minute halftime breaks instead of 15 to help lower players' core temperatures, and cooling breaks in play every 15 minutes. Currently, breaks are taken in the 30th minute of each half. FIFA was approached for comment. FIFA has reacted during the Club World Cup to lower the threshold for insisting on cooling or water breaks, plus placing more water and towels around the edge of the field. 'We are partially happy because FIFA have been quite responsive once the tournament was underway,' FIFPRO CEO-like general secretary Alex Phillips said. Better shading benches for the substitutes and more hydration breaks are also preferred by the union, which has national affiliates representing players in about 70 countries. 'All these practical things is something that we must do better,' said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO strategy director, though adding 'at some point that probably won't be enough.' The union gave its research to FIFA ahead of the Club World Cup opening on June 14, based on weather trends in the host cities since 2014. Seven of the 11 were judged high risk with Philadelphia and Washington, DC, at the top end. 'The past few weeks was also a confirmation of our worry,' Gouttebarge said, 'that the heat condition would play a negative role for the performance and health of the players.' Six Club World Cup games also were stopped because of forecast electric storms nearby. The delay was nearly two hours in Charlotte during Chelsea's win in the round of 16 against Benfica. Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:
The Star
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Star
Soccer-FIFPRO mulls 20-minute halftimes, more cooling breaks amid extreme heat
(Removes HOLD from headline. no change to story) MIAMI (Reuters) -Global players' union FIFPRO is exploring whether extending halftime to 20 minutes and introducing more frequent cooling breaks could better protect players from extreme heat. Nine of the 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup face conditions considered 'extreme risk' for heat-related illness. Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Monterrey and Philadelphia are expected to face dangerous levels of heat and humidity, posing player safety concerns and fueling calls for mandatory cooling aids or schedule changes. FIFPRO's heat risk assessments are based on wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), a measure combining temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind speed to estimate how environmental conditions affect the body's ability to cool itself. Under FIFPRO guidelines, a WBGT reading above 28 degrees Celsius indicates conditions in which matches should be postponed or rescheduled to protect players' health. By comparison, world soccer governing body FIFA's own guidelines set the extreme risk threshold higher, at 32 degrees Celsius WBGT – but even by that standard, six of the nine cities are still projected to exceed safe limits. Major League Soccer in the U.S. has a threshold of 29 degrees Celsius WBGT. 'Cooling breaks at the 30th minute and 75th minutes are quite traditional, but from a physiological point of view it does not make sense,' said Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO's Medical Director. 'Even if you ingest more than 200 millilitres of fluid, you already cannot take it all. So I would definitely like to see some project where we look at the efficacy of perhaps more frequent but shorter cooling breaks – every 15 minutes, rather than only one during each half.' LONGER HALFTIMES Gouttebarge also questioned whether the traditional 15-minute halftime interval is sufficient when matches are played in extreme heat. 'You can imagine that halftime of 15 minutes might not be enough in order to decrease the core temperature,' he said. 'It could be a halftime of 20 minutes which would be significant. That has been shown in the laboratory and FIFPRO, together with the national union in Portugal in August, we are going to test this kind of mitigation strategy.' The urgency of stronger heat protocols became clear at this month's Club World Cup where two matches -- Benfica-Bayern Munich in Charlotte and Chelsea-Esperance in Philadelphia exceeded the WBGT threshold FIFPRO considers unsafe. 'According to our position, those games should have been postponed later that day or rescheduled,' Gouttebarge said. FIFPRO officials acknowledged that FIFA has responded constructively during the tournament by lowering thresholds for mandatory cooling breaks and improving pitch-side hydration, but stressed that proactive planning is critical. 'FIFA have been quite responsive once the tournament was under way,' said Alex Phillips, FIFPRO General Secretary. 'They have actually modified how they've been dealing with heat during the matches based on FIFPRO's input, which is credit to the work of the team. Obviously, it would have been better if that happened in advance, but it's better that they have adapted.' FIFPRO warned that the risks highlighted at the Club World Cup are a preview of what players could face at the expanded 2026 World Cup. 'This is not just affecting the Club World Cup, but also future tournaments either in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world,' said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO Director of Policy & Strategic Relations. 'We need a better balance between commercial interests and the health and safety of players,' he added referring to earlier kick-off times to accommodate European television audiences. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
FIFPRO mulls 20-minute halftimes, more cooling breaks amid extreme heat
MIAMI - Global players' union FIFPRO is exploring whether extending halftime to 20 minutes and introducing more frequent cooling breaks could better protect players from extreme heat. Nine of the 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup face conditions considered 'extreme risk' for heat-related illness. Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Monterrey and Philadelphia are expected to face dangerous levels of heat and humidity, posing player safety concerns and fueling calls for mandatory cooling aids or schedule changes. FIFPRO's heat risk assessments are based on wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), a measure combining temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind speed to estimate how environmental conditions affect the body's ability to cool itself. Under FIFPRO guidelines, a WBGT reading above 28 degrees Celsius indicates conditions in which matches should be postponed or rescheduled to protect players' health. By comparison, world soccer governing body FIFA's own guidelines set the extreme risk threshold higher, at 32 degrees Celsius WBGT – but even by that standard, six of the nine cities are still projected to exceed safe limits. Major League Soccer in the U.S. has a threshold of 29 degrees Celsius WBGT. 'Cooling breaks at the 30th minute and 75th minutes are quite traditional, but from a physiological point of view it does not make sense,' said Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO's Medical Director. 'Even if you ingest more than 200 millilitres of fluid, you already cannot take it all. So I would definitely like to see some project where we look at the efficacy of perhaps more frequent but shorter cooling breaks – every 15 minutes, rather than only one during each half.' LONGER HALFTIMES Gouttebarge also questioned whether the traditional 15-minute halftime interval is sufficient when matches are played in extreme heat. 'You can imagine that halftime of 15 minutes might not be enough in order to decrease the core temperature,' he said. 'It could be a halftime of 20 minutes which would be significant. That has been shown in the laboratory and FIFPRO, together with the national union in Portugal in August, we are going to test this kind of mitigation strategy.' The urgency of stronger heat protocols became clear at this month's Club World Cup where two matches -- Benfica-Bayern Munich in Charlotte and Chelsea-Esperance in Philadelphia exceeded the WBGT threshold FIFPRO considers unsafe. 'According to our position, those games should have been postponed later that day or rescheduled,' Gouttebarge said. FIFPRO officials acknowledged that FIFA has responded constructively during the tournament by lowering thresholds for mandatory cooling breaks and improving pitch-side hydration, but stressed that proactive planning is critical. 'FIFA have been quite responsive once the tournament was under way,' said Alex Phillips, FIFPRO General Secretary. 'They have actually modified how they've been dealing with heat during the matches based on FIFPRO's input, which is credit to the work of the team. Obviously, it would have been better if that happened in advance, but it's better that they have adapted.' FIFPRO warned that the risks highlighted at the Club World Cup are a preview of what players could face at the expanded 2026 World Cup. 'This is not just affecting the Club World Cup, but also future tournaments either in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world,' said Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO Director of Policy & Strategic Relations. 'We need a better balance between commercial interests and the health and safety of players,' he added referring to earlier kick-off times to accommodate European television audiences. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
