Football Events Under Threat From Heat And Climate Risks, Study Finds

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The future of international and grassroots football is under threat from climate risks like extreme heat, flooding and wildfires, according to a new analysis.

The study, published by the non-profit Football for Future and Common Goal in collaboration with climate risk and resilience analytics firm Jupiter Intelligence, warns escalating climate risks could impact events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is due to be held in North America.

The report contains the first IPCC-aligned climate risk assessment of all 2026 World Cup venues, alongside 2030 and 2034 World Cup venues and many grassroots pitches around the world.

It claims 10 of the 16 stadiums hosting next year’s World Cup event already breach safe-play limits due to extreme heat.

The study also warns it could be the last such soccer tournament in the region without urgent changes to venues or how they are organized.

“Without significant adaptation, it is unlikely that future tournaments in North America will follow the same model as 2026, with traditional summer scheduling, curren infrastructure standards, and minimal climate protocols,” the report states.

The study names Miami, Houston, Monterrey, and Dallas as the most climate-vulnerable stadiums, each facing 100–160 days of unplayable heat by 2050, alongside multiple compounding risks including flash flooding, extreme winds, and water scarcity.

The report also examined how grassroot football pitches around the world are being impacted by climate change.

It claims by 2050, two-thirds of the childhood pitches of icons like Messi, Ronaldo, Salah and Mbappé will exceed safe heat limits for play.

And in the Global South, pitches face on average seven times more unplayable heat days than in the Global North.

In January, separate research published by Queen’s University Belfast warned almost 90% of the North American stadiums hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup could face potentially dangerous levels of heat.

Football For Future founder Elliot Arthur-Worsop said sport has a “fundamentally profound connection to the natural world” in an interview.

Arthur-Worsop adds the natural environment has significant and multi-faceted impacts on sport, ranging from extreme weather to the carbon footprint of stadiums.

“Football has the potential to inspire climate action, to raise awareness and shift attitudes and perceptions globally on a scale that no other cultural phenomenon in the world has,” he told me.

“We are already seeing World Cups and other major tournaments being rearranged due to extreme weather, and governing bodies are being advised humidity and temperatures will have negative effects on certain games being played.”

Arthur-Worsop added the report also highlights how smaller-scale grassroots football is also being impacted by climate change and extreme heat.

He said grassroots football simply does not have the resources to adapt in the same way professional clubs and international events can.

“Grassroots football is powered by love and passion and volunteers, and it is exceptionally important for the physical and mental wellbeing of everyone involved,” he told me.

“But when it comes to supporting the adaptation of grassroots football, it can be a challenge to get the message out to everybody.”

Arthur-Worsop said there needs to be more investment in climate resilient infrastructure at a grassroots level, including more shading and better drainage for pitches.

But he added one of the biggest surprises from the new report is the survey of 3,600 sports fans, which finds overwhelming demand for the industry to take leadership on climate issues.

The vast majority (91%) of those surveyed said the FIFA World Cup should be a global role model for sustainability and 86% felt their clubs and governing bodies should speak out on climate issues.

“Football is so exciting, and its superpower is being able to inspire people all around the world to get behind a global sustainability tradition, which is going to keep the world safe for future generations,” said Arthur-Worsop.

Common Goal’s environmental sustainability lead, Jérémy Houssin said climate change is no longer a distant threat and is already reshaping football, in a statement.

Houssin added climate-related hazards are escalating, and not all places face them equally.

“When young players can’t rely on safe, playable grounds in their communities, the entire future of the game is at risk,” he said.

And the founder of the NGO Fossil Free Football, Frank Huisingh, said the new report shows how much football is at risk from the climate crisis, in an email.

“Therefore, it is unacceptable that FIFA is still sponsored by Saudi state oil company Aramco, promoting the fossil fuels which cause the climate crisis,” added Huisingh.

Forbes