Aspetar Provides Scientific Guidance to Help Teams Navigate the Environmental Challenges at the FIFA World Cup 2026

Research led by Aspetar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar, in collaboration with world-leading experts has published two extensive scientific review articles offering a practical framework for national teams preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as the tournament is set to take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11th June to 19th July 2026.

Published in Sports Medicine with the contribution of international collaborators, the articles examine the major environmental stressors expected to affect players and support staff throughout the tournament, including heat, altitude, air pollution, allergens and long-haul travel to the World Cup and frequent travel between host cities. The findings highlight how the extraordinary geographic breadth of the competition will expose players to markedly different climate and environmental conditions across venues, making this edition of the World Cup one of the most complex in history from a health and performance perspective.

The guidelines also provide practical advice for teams preparing for this major event.
Prof. Marco Cardinale, Executive Director of Research and Scientific Support, said: “These two papers led by Dr Christopher Esh are a collaboration with colleagues from different international institutions and reflect Aspetar’s long-standing experience in major international tournaments and underlines the hospital’s leadership in translating scientific research into practical knowledge. We place player health at the core of our mission, and we are committed to providing evidence-based guidance that helps teams respond more effectively to heat, altitude, air quality and travel-related challenges. These extensive reviews contribute to informing the global sporting community about the risks expected at FIFA World Cup 2026 and how to prepare for them in a scientifically sound and professional manner.

The researchers reported that most host cities are expected to face high temperatures during June and July 2026, with 14 of the 16 venues forecast to record wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) values of 28°C or above, and six cities potentially reach between 30°C and 35°C based on historical weather data. These conditions can have a negative influence on players’ health and performance.

In response, FIFA has announced that all matches at the 2026 World Cup will include three-minute cooling breaks, regardless of weather conditions, as a precautionary measure to reduce heat-related risks. 

The review articles also highlight the challenge of altitude, particularly in the Mexican host cities, where nine matches will be played at varying elevations, including Guadalajara at 1,566 metres above sea level and Mexico City at 2,240 metres. The findings from the scientific literature indicate that altitude may reduce performance in non-acclimatised players, slow recovery after high-intensity efforts, and lead to lower total running distance and reduced high-speed running, potentially requiring tactical and physical adjustments from teams.

Finally, the extensive reviews further explore the impact of air pollution and seasonal allergens, especially given the tournament’s large geographic footprint and the diversity of environmental conditions across host cities.  Large cities like Los Angeles and some Mexican venues always present the likelihood of elevated ozone levels, and fine particulate matter which with pollen exposure may affect players with respiratory conditions or allergies..

Long-distance travel and circadian disruption are also identified as important well-known risk factors for travelling athletes. Some teams may need to cross 19 time zones to arrive at the World Cup with significant risk of jet-lag whilst frequent travel requirements across up to three time zones during the tournament may induce travel fatigue. This can affect sleep, concentration and recovery, and may increase the risk of injury and illness, particularly during a tournament schedule that leaves limited time for recuperation.

Christopher John Esh Aspetar Researcher and the author of the study added:
“This work was designed to serve as a practical scientific reference connecting the evidence base with the realities of football in tournament settings. We focused on analysing the anticipated environmental challenges in detail and then translating the findings into actionable recommendations for technical and medical staff. Its value lies not only in identifying risks, but in providing a clear framework for managing them in practice”.

The significance of these two publications lies in the practical recommendations, which include heat acclimation/acclimatisation, hydration planning, workload management, altitude adaptation, air-quality monitoring, and integrated travel, sleep and recovery strategies. Aspetar once again reinforces its position as a global reference in sports medicine and applied research, and as a trusted knowledge partner to the world’s major sporting events.

Link to the research papers:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-026-02398-4
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-026-02415-6