Climate change effects could cause havoc on Club World Cup

According to a climate change expert, FIFA’s Club World Cup in cities across the United States next summer could see fans and players suffer from extreme temperatures due to the effects of climate change.

Many of the kickoff times for games featuring some of the biggest clubs from Europe have been scheduled for early-to-mid-afternoon local time in the United States when temperatures are much hotter than later in the day.

“From a climate perspective, FIFA’s scheduling during the midday or midafternoon in summer raises significant concerns,” explains Alessandro Romei, a climate change and sustainability expert. “These are the peak heat hours, and the combination of extreme temperatures and high humidity, as indicated by the heat index for these games, increases the risks of heat stress, dehydration, and related illnesses for both players and fans.”

FIFA Club World Cup climate change concerns

The reason why many kickoff times are scheduled so early is to ensure that many of the games kick off in primetime hours for viewers in Europe.

“FIFA’s decision likely prioritizes viewership and broadcasting logistics over player and spectator health,” added Romei, who works for OCA Global, a European firm that helps companies attain the highest standards of quality, safety, health, and environmental management. “But it must be emphasized that such a trade-off [by FIFA] could result in severe consequences, undermining the spirit of the sport and safety standards.”

To get a better understanding of the expected heat index next summer that players and fans may experience, World Soccer Talk looked at the heat index recorded for the same day, time, and location from the summer of 2024, courtesy of Weather Underground.

The hottest expected heat indexes for the 2025 Club World Cup games are as follows:

Extreme heat indexes are one thing, but playing in stadiums without roofs compounds the issue. For instance, three of the stadiums listed above (Camping World in Orlando, Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, and Bank of Atlantic Stadium in Charlotte) don’t have roofs.

“Athletes exerting themselves in these conditions are at risk of heat exhaustion or even heatstroke, and fans—particularly children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions—are similarly vulnerable,” Romei said.

Hurricanes and tornadoes causing havoc in the United States

Ultimately, those extreme temperatures may cause havoc at next summer’s Club World Cup where the health of players and fans could be at risk. To make matters worse, the temperatures continue to increase each year. The United States has seen an increase in larger, more powerful hurricanes. In fact, climate change is also increasing the frequency and intensity of tornadoes in the United States.

With the Club World Cup being played mostly on the eastern side of the United States, Club World Cup host cities such as Orlando, Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Nashville are particularly susceptible to hurricanes and tornadoes.

For context, FIFA asserts that its “match schedule is the result of a collaborative approach that has been developed with players and fans at the heart of every consideration.”

Furthermore, FIFA adds that it has minimized the amount of travel for both players and fans. “This will ensure that both players and fans have shorter journeys, particularly throughout the Group Stage, and provide FIFA with the best possible opportunity to schedule more matches at favorable times for global audiences.”

That’s the biggest challenge. How do you schedule games with kickoff times that are ideal for European TV audiences but also are during times of the day when the weather is slightly cooler? It’s impossible unless you’re willing to move the competition to the winter months.

At the same time, event organizers and FIFA must be ready and prepared for the possibility of extreme weather such as hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornadoes that have become more deadly in recent years.

How the Club World Cup compares to other competitions

Of course, playing a major soccer competition in the summer is a common occurrence. For instance, the Gold Cup will be played on practically the same dates as the FIFA Club World Cup next summer.

So how do the kickoff times and temperatures compare for the Gold Cup?

As of press time, the finalized schedule for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup hasn’t been revealed. However, if the Gold Cup plays a similar schedule to the 2023 competition, the heat index for the July 6 final at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas could be 82°F. That’s based on the heat index for July 6 and the last time the competition was played (in 2023).

To be fair, the CONCACAF Gold Cup benefits from having its games played in the evening or later at night when the temperatures are cooler. As a direct comparison, the Club World Cup stadium in Charlotte hosted two games during the 2023 Gold Cup. The heat indexes for those two matches were 94°F (for a 7 PM kickoff) and 91°F (for a 9 PM kickoff that same night). That’s cooler than the expected heat indexes for Charlotte’s two Group Stage games in the upcoming Club World Cup — 95°F. While that may not seem like much of a difference, the 3 PM kickoff times for the Club World Cup games will certainly feel hotter for players and fans with the Sun beating down on a roofless stadium.

No doubt, extreme weather conditions have been a concern for FIFA during previous competitions. The most recent example is the 2022 FIFA World Cup where Qatar and FIFA moved the competition to December to avoid the intense summer heat.

The result? The 2022 FIFA World Cup Final was played at 5 PM local time in Doha with a heat index at kickoff of 72°F. If the game had been played at a 5 PM local time kickoff time in Doha on July 15, 2022, the heat index would have been 115°F.

FIFA needs to take climate change concerns more seriously

Romei believes that FIFA needs to take climate change concerns more seriously. He recommends that FIFA and other sports organizations should take the following actions:

• Flexible Scheduling: Prioritize health by scheduling matches during cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or evening, regardless of viewership convenience.
• Seasonal Adjustments: Host tournaments in seasons with milder temperatures or in locations where summer heat is less extreme. This shift acknowledges the increasing intensity of heat waves worldwide.
• Venue Selection: Consider venues with climate-resilient infrastructure, such as stadiums equipped with advanced cooling systems or shaded designs to mitigate heat exposure.
• Sustainability Commitments: FIFA could take a leadership role by setting stricter environmental and climate-conscious goals, such as net-zero carbon footprints for events and promoting renewable energy use across venues.

FIFA’s stance on environmental and sustainability issues

Furthermore, Romei believes FIFA should do more.

“Another critical consideration is the adoption of international standards like ISO 20121, which focuses on sustainable event management. If properly implemented, this standard can guide FIFA and other organizations in reducing the environmental and social impact of their events. By embedding sustainability into the planning and operational processes, ISO 20121 can ensure a more balanced approach that prioritizes health, safety, and environmental stewardship alongside the excitement of the games.

“In addition to sustainability, FIFA could leverage its platform to promote climate awareness, collaborating with environmental organizations to educate fans and stakeholders about the importance of climate resilience and proactive action. This would not only align with global sustainability goals but also enhance FIFA’s reputation as a forward-thinking and responsible organization.”

In its communications for World Cup 2026, which again also applies to Club World Cup 2025, FIFA explains that it “is developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy that will cover a number of key areas including environmental protection.

“By minimizing the journeys that players and fans have to make, FIFA will also be contributing to the implementation of a sustainable event.

“FIFA is committed to reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2040 as part of a detailed FIFA Climate Strategy that lays out plans to accelerate solutions to protect our planet and our game.”

Whether those targets will be reached in time, experts will surely be monitoring FIFA’s progress.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Xinhua