The World Cup promises to be heated — and not just on the field.
MetLife Stadium, which will host eight matches in June and July, is one of the venues most exposed to extreme heat, according to a recent study by researchers at Imperial College, London and World Weather Attribution.
Stadiums in Texas and Georgia that will also host World Cup games are slated to higher outdoor temperatures than East Rutherford, New Jersey. But MetLife faces greater risks from the heat than some of its southern counterparts.
“MetLife is an open-air stadium. It’s not enclosed. It doesn’t have air conditioning, so that’s a big factor in its exposure,” said Joyce Kimutai, an author of the study and an Imperial College climate scientist. “Bodies will not be able to tolerate that for a long time and especially for people coming from less humid places.”
The study measures risk through a metric called a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, which is an estimate not just of how hot air is, but also takes into account humidity, wind and sunlight.
The researchers found the risk of MetLife facing a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature of 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit while it hosts World Cup games has doubled since 1994, the last time the United States hosted. At 82.4 degrees, the FIFA players union considered those conditions unsafe for playing.
The study found it’s “near certain” that at least one of the games at MetLife will exceed that threshold and that the greater likelihood of reaching that hot, muggy weather overall stems from climate change.
“That’s obviously concerning from a performance and health aspect for the players, and particularly a health perspective for the supporters and officials,” said Dr. Christopher Mullington, a physician and senior lecturer at Imperial College London who consulted on the study. “The world is heating up. This is going to be becoming an increasing problem at global sporting events.”
Heat strains bodies and worsens pre-existing health conditions. In the sun, on a humid day, people face higher risks of dehydration and their bodies work harder to cool them off.
Robbie Parks, an environmental epidemiologist at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, said the idea of people attending matches, perhaps drinking alcohol and spending time in direct sunlight worries him.
“You can take personal measures like neck fans and wearing light clothing to cover your skin, but the ability to get rid of heat via sweating and evapotransportation is going to be challenging,” he said. “People getting drunk in the sun will not only change the way you’re compensating heat but your awareness of it.”
Parks recommended the venue provide shade, especially in areas where people will be standing in line, and find a way to spray spectators with water, which can help people’s bodies manage heat.
There are misting systems and water fountains in public areas at MetLife, which referred comment to FIFA.
In a lengthy emailed statement, FIFA spokesperson Bryan Swanson said fans will be able to bring in “one factory-sealed water bottle” to games when there are elevated temperatures, and venues will provide shaded areas, cooling buses and misting systems.
Parks of Columbia was a signatory on a letter to FIFA from over a dozen scientists concerned about exposure of heat stress on soccer players, and raising questions about FIFA’s guidelines around mitigating heat stress. They urged FIFA to adopt pro-active “heat-management protocols” designed to prevent health harms.
At 82.4 degrees, the players union recommends games should be delayed. But FIFA’s threshold to mandate player cooling breaks — or to postpone or cancel matches — starts much higher, at a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature of 89.6 degrees, according to its emergency care manual.
FIFA instituted a policy of three-minute hydration breaks midway through each game half, for all World Cup games.
Swanson also said FIFA would allow for the use of additional substitutes and offer air conditioned benches for staff and subs at outdoor matches. He pointed out that medical officers are prepped on heat management strategies and FIFA will monitor weather conditions in real time.
“FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff,” Swanson said in the statement. “Climate-related risks are assessed as part of overall tournament planning and managed in close coordination with host cities, stadium authorities and national agencies.”
Maggie Garbarino, deputy press secretary for Gov. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, said in a statement that the state is working with federal and local entities to deliver “a safe, seamless and memorable World Cup experience.”
“That includes taking the necessary steps to protect public health and ensuring our healthcare systems and emergency response partners are fully prepared to respond to extreme heat events,” she said.
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