Dangerous heat is a real threat for the 2026 World Cup. Are teams ready?

Experts warn that cooling breaks and later kickoff times may be needed to cope with scorching temperatures when North America hosts the tournamentOver the course of a playing career that wound through Spain, Mexico and the sunbaked fields of Major League Soccer's summers, American midfielder Tab Ramos was never hotter than at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.The day before the United States men's national team opened its tournament against Switzerland in the Pontiac Silverdome, it had been 99F (37C) in Michigan. By the 11.30am kickoff on matchday, the temperature reached 90F (32C) again. Worse still, the Silverdome was an NFL stadium designed for winter - to keep heat in, rather than out. The first World Cup match played indoors was conducted in a dome without air conditioning. On the field, the temperature reached 106F (41C). The grass laid over the artificial turf had been watered so eagerly that, with the sun beating down on the stadium's fabric roof, the air turned soupy with humidity. Continue reading...