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World Cup 2026 to use covered stadiums to combat heat

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed plans to utilize indoor air-conditioned stadiums for daytime kick-offs at the 2026 World Cup.

The decision aims to combat expected high temperatures during the tournament next year, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Concerns have been raised over players being exposed to extreme heat during the Club World Cup in the US.

The competition will conclude on Sunday with a final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with temperature forecasts of 28C when the match begins.

The Blues’ semi-final win over Fluminense at the same venue saw the temperature rise to 35C, with midfielder Enzo Fernandez describing the conditions as “very dangerous”.

Infantino said that covered stadiums will be used as much as possible for games at the 2026 World Cup to tackle temperature issues.

“The heat is definitely an issue,” Infantino said (per The Guardian). “It’s an issue around the world. I remember it was the same in the Olympics in Paris and in other football games. But we have stadiums in America that are covered and one in Canada in Vancouver and we will definitely use these stadiums more during the day.”

The 2026 World Cup is set to start in June next year, with 16 venues of the US, Canada and Mexico hosting the prestigious tournament.

The competition will be the first to include 48 teams, up from 32, which is a significant increase from previous editions.

Apart from the three host nations, ten teams have qualified for the World Cup so far, including Jordan and Uzbekistan who will make their debuts in the tournament.