. mulls longer half-time breaks, more frequent cooling pauses to protect players
The extreme heat at the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup has triggered a strong warning from global footballers’ union FIFPro.
FIFPro said the scorching temperatures during matches in the U.S. should be a “wake-up call” for FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Players have struggled under the sun, with some matches kicking off at midday or 3:00 pm local time. Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente described the conditions as “impossible” after their 4-0 defeat to PSG in Pasadena.
FIFPro wants longer half-time breaks and more frequent cooling pauses to protect players from heat-stress injuries. Their study flagged six venues for next year’s tournament, including Miami as “extremely high risk.”
“We’ve asked FIFA not to schedule matches during the hottest periods of the day,” said Alex Phillips, FIFPro’s general secretary. “But the final call lies with FIFA.”
Phillips admitted some match times were set to favour European TV audiences, despite player safety concerns.
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FIFPro is also proposing a 20-minute half-time and cooling breaks every 15 minutes when temperatures are dangerously high
So far, six Club World Cup matches have also faced delays due to storm warnings, a requirement under U.S. laws.
Despite the heat challenge, Phillips said FIFA had responded “positively” by supplying cold towels and water at pitch-side.
But with the 2026 World Cup and 2030 tournament also likely to face heat issues, FIFPro says action is urgent.
“We’ll keep pushing,” Phillips said. “But we don’t have the power to force change — just to influence it.”
