Washington, June 25: Substitutes who watch from the locker room, abandoned practice sessions and sweat-soaked jerseys. A heat wave hitting a wide swath of the country is taking a toll on players at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The gruelling conditions could also be a preview of what’s to come next summer when the United States, Canada and Mexico host Football’s premier event, the 2026 World Cup.
“It’s impossible, it’s terribly hot. My toes were sore, even my toenails were hurting, I couldn’t stop or start. In the end, it’s incredible, but since it’s the same for everyone, there’s no excuse,” Atlético’s Marcos Llorente said following a match against Paris Saint-Germain.
A “heat dome” of high pressure has settled in over the central and eastern United States, sending temperatures soaring into the 90s in Fahrenheit and above in many areas. That’s rough on both Club World Cup players and fans, who can potentially experience dehydration and cramps, or more serious conditions like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
“In Europe it’s more of a dry heat and this is more of a humid heat. I think it’s going to hit them twice as hard,” fan Tyler Fernando said before Bayern Munich’s match against Benfica on Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the temperature was 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius) at game time.
Those at the Auckland City match against Boca Juniors in Nashville on Tuesday braved temperatures in the upper 90s. Male spectators went shirtless and fans sought sections where there was shade.
Heat is of particular concern during big tournaments like the Club World Cup because the players don’t have much time off to recover between games. And in the group stages, matches are usually staggered each day, meaning some teams play in the midday sun.
Chelsea cut short a practice session in Philadelphia, where temperatures reached the 90s.
During a match between Borussia Dortmund and the Mamelodi Sundowns, Dortmond posted on social media: “Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun at TQL Stadium – never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense.”
FIFA guidelines mandate breaks when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature – a composite of factors including temperature and humidity – reaches 89.6 degrees. The breaks usually occur around the 30th and 75th minutes.
Cooling breaks were initially used at the 2008 Olympic final between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Nigeria at Beijing’s National Stadium, where the on-field temperature reached 107 degrees.
But at the time, such breaks were rare. They became more commonplace following the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where a Brazilian labor court ordered hydration breaks when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reached 89.6 degrees.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue went to social media to urge Club World Cup fans to exercise caution in the heat before Inter Miami’s match against Palmeiras on Monday night, and Chelsea posted “heat mitigation” guidelines on its official website before the Blues’ match against Esperance on Tuesday.
It’s not just high temperatures that can impact summer tournaments: Five Club World Cup matches have been delayed by thunderstorms. (AP)
