The first weekend of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been met with a wave of extreme weather warnings, raising concerns for the wellbeing of players, workers and fans alike.
The five-week tournament kicked off on June 11, with several games having already been played. These include the U.S. team’s (USMNT) fixture against Paraguay, which saw the hosts secure a 4-1 victory.
But the opening days of this year’s expanded tournament—featuring 48 teams and a total of 104 games—has been marred by weather warnings from government agencies and organizers.
Weather Warnings Cloud FIFA’s Opening Weekend
Over the past week, weather-monitoring agencies like the National Weather Service (NWS) have been releasing advisories urging Americans to stay indoors in areas affected by “extremely dangerous heat conditions.”
The NWS has now also issued alerts for parts of California, Oregon and Washington, running from mid-Sunday morning through Tuesday evening, over “lethal” heats, with forecasts for temperatures reaching as high as 110 F.
And concerns have been raised about the safety of those involved in the World Cup, which is being played across 11 cities in the U.S., as well as Canada and Mexico.
“It’s going to be extremely hot, and you just cannot leave people unprotected or you’re going to deal with a lot of injuries,” Jonathan Alingu, co-executive director of Central Florida Jobs With Justice, told The Guardian. “Or, God forbid, something even worse.”
NPR calculated that more than one-in-three games are at heightened risk of dangerous temperatures. Some of these, such as Japan vs. the Netherlands or Germany vs. Curaçao—both in Texas—are taking place on Sunday.
Fox 29 Philadelphia also reports risks of high heat as well as storms for fans heading to the Ivory Coast-Ecuador fixture, which is being hosted at Philadelphia Stadium on Sunday.
And with intense heat and other warning signs across some of the East Coast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has said any game must be halted if lightning is detected within eight miles of a stadium, according to the BBC.
The England squad were instructed to take shelter indoors on Saturday evening, per ESPN, after an intense storm approached Kansas City and forced a nearby fan festival to wrap up early.
The NWS has now issued warnings of “scattered severe thunderstorms” affecting the Mid-Atlantic on Sunday afternoon and evening.
“The heat and humidity will aid the production of additional strong to severe thunderstorms from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast later today ahead of the cold front as the low pressure wave intensifies,” the agency said. “Damaging winds appear to be the main concern with this episode of strong to severe thunderstorms.”
What Happens Next
Before the tournament began, medical experts had highlighted the risks to workers, players and fans from the extreme heats that were forecast.
And organizers have heeded some of the warnings, with FIFA instituting three-minute “hydration breaks” for players during matches, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stepping up enforcement of heat-safety measures.
FIFA came under fire days before the World Cup began after announcing a ban on spectators bringing reusable bottles of water into the stadiums. After significant criticism, the organization clarified that this would only apply to hard bottles, and that fans may bring “one, soft, plastic, 20 ounces (590ml), factory sealed disposable water bottle into any FIFA World Cup 2026 match in the USA and Canada.”
In a statement to NPR, FIFA said it was committed to “protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff” through various means.
“Outdoor matches during the hottest parts of the day have been strategically limited, kick-off times adjusted in certain markets, and matches expected in warmer windows prioritized for covered stadiums where possible,” the statement continued.
