When the United States, Canada and Mexico were awarded the 2026 World Cup, much of the attention focused on the tournament's unprecedented scale. For the first time the competition would be hosted by three different countries and would involve forty-eight national teams instead of the traditional thirty-two.

With just days to go before the tournament kicks off, however, the debate is shifting to other aspects. On one hand, there are concerns about the temperatures that could accompany some matches during the North American summer. On the other, a series of incidents at US airports has brought renewed attention to the difficulties faced by certain delegations in reaching the host country.

The two issues might seem to belong to entirely different spheres. The first concerns the climate, the second migration and security policies. Yet both are helping to redefine the conditions under which one of the planet's most important sporting events is taking place.

When climate becomes a logistical issue

In recent months, several climatologists and sports physicians have expressed concern about the environmental conditions in which some of the tournament's matches could be played. An analysis by the research group World Weather Attribution estimated that around a quarter of matches could take place in heat and humidity conditions exceeding the safety thresholds set by the global footballers' union Fifpro, while Reuters gathered the concerns of scientists and sports health experts who regard the 2026 World Cup as an important test case for football in an increasingly hot climate. Around a quarter of matches could be played in conditions considered problematic for athletes' health due to the combination of high temperatures and humidity.

The cities that concern experts most are above all those in the southern United States, such as Miami, Houston and Dallas, where during the summer high temperatures combine with particularly elevated humidity levels. In these conditions the human body struggles to dissipate the heat generated during physical exertion, increasing the risk of heat stress and dehydration.

The issue also affects fans, volunteers and workers employed at the venues. For this reason, the organisers have put in place hydration stations, cooling areas, air-conditioned tents and other measures to mitigate the effects of the heat in the areas surrounding the stadiums.

The Athletic | Football @TheAthleticFC

𝕏

How 𝐡𝐨𝐭 is this World Cup 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 going to be?

The Athletic is working with meteorologist Aaron Mentkowski (@AaronCh7Weather) to explain how the weather will affect this tournament.

With heat expected to be a major factor, we have analysed 10 years of data to build a

♥ 208💬 26 10 giu 2026 · Apri su X →

When climate changes the rules of the game

In recent years, climate change has already begun to alter the way major sporting competitions are organised. The 2021 Tokyo Olympics were accompanied by extensive debate about the high temperatures recorded during events, to the point that some competitions were moved to locations considered less exposed to extreme heat. Tennis has also had to adapt. The Australian Open has introduced specific protocols over the years to deal with heatwaves, providing for the suspension of matches and extraordinary measures to protect athletes and spectators.

The best-known case, however, remains that of the World Cup in Qatar. When Fifa awarded the tournament to the emirate in 2010, the debate focused primarily on allegations of corruption and the conditions of migrant workers employed on construction sites. As the years passed, however, it became clear that staging an international competition in June and July would entail significant risks for players and spectators alike. In 2015, Fifa therefore decided to move the tournament to November and December 2022, altering for the first time in history the calendar of the major European football competitions.

The 2026 World Cup will be held in the traditional period, but the discussions about temperatures and humidity show that climate has now become a central variable in the planning of major international sporting events. Issues that until a few years ago concerned primarily the environmental sustainability of venues or team travel now directly affect the conditions in which matches are played, in which people work, and in which fans attend competitions.

The water bottle controversy at the stadiums

The management of temperatures has also entered the public debate through an apparently minor controversy. Just days before the start of the tournament, Fifa amended its regulations banning reusable bottles from stadiums on safety grounds, arguing that objects such as bottles and containers could be thrown and cause injuries. The decision drew criticism from supporters' associations, who pointed out that restricting access to water during a summer tournament could increase the risk of dehydration and heatstroke.

Among the critical voices was that of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who called on Fifa to clarify its position, arguing that no fan should risk being "cut off from access to water" during an event taking place in intense heat. Following protests from fans, local authorities and environmental groups, the international federation partially reversed its position, allowing one sealed bottle of water to be brought into stadiums in the United States and Canada, while rigid reusable water bottles remain banned.

The episode shows how issues that until a few years ago occupied a marginal space in the sporting debate have become an integral part of organising a major international event. Access to water, shaded areas, hydration breaks and the protection of workers are now central elements in the planning of competitions that take place in a context marked by ever-rising temperatures.

Difficulties at the US borders

While experts were debating the tournament's climatic conditions, a series of incidents at US airports drew the attention of the international press.

The most widely reported case concerns Omar Abdulkadir Artan, a Somali referee selected by Fifa among the match officials for the World Cup. According to several sources, Artan was stopped on arrival in the United States and was not granted authorisation to enter the country despite holding the documents required to take part in the competition. Following the US refusal, the referee travelled to Canada, where he will still be able to participate in the tournament.

In the preceding days, the Iraqi delegation had also reported similar problems. Striker Aymen Hussein was held for around seven hours at Chicago airport before being granted entry. According to the Iraqi football federation, a photographer travelling with the national team was reportedly turned away after more than ten hours of checks.

These incidents were compounded by protests from the delegations of Senegal and Uzbekistan. Several members of the two national squads reported being subjected to extraordinary checks, searches and inspections carried out with sniffer dogs upon their arrival in the United States.

US authorities have not provided detailed public explanations regarding individual incidents. In the case of the Iraqi delegation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment concerning the detention of Aymen Hussein and the turning away of photographer Talal Salah. Nevertheless, the rapid succession of incidents has fuelled a broader debate about the United States' ability to reconcile its border control policies with the organisation of events that presuppose the movement of thousands of people from every corner of the world.

Anadolu English ✓ @anadoluagency

𝕏

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan national football team members underwent security checks with sniffer dogs upon arrival in New York ahead of a friendly against the Netherlands

♥ 143💬 9 8 giu 2026 · Apri su X →

A tournament that reflects transformations already under way

It is not the first time that a major sporting event has become a space where issues reaching far beyond the pitch come to the surface. In recent years international competitions have been used as forums to discuss workers' rights, surveillance, civil liberties, resource consumption and the political use of sport. The debate surrounding the 2026 World Cup fits squarely within this same trajectory.

On one hand, the tournament offers a concrete example of the consequences that climate change is producing even in sectors traditionally considered remote from environmental concerns. On the other, it shows how international mobility continues to be shaped by controls, restrictions and procedures that affect people differently depending on their country of origin.

For many years football benefited from the idea of an ever more interconnected world, in which people, goods and information could cross borders with increasing ease. The discussions surrounding the 2026 World Cup suggest instead a more complex scenario, one in which the management of extreme heat and the control of international mobility are becoming increasingly significant factors in the organisation of major global events.

In this sense, the problems that have emerged in the weeks leading up to the tournament are not mere peripheral controversies; rather, they offer a glimpse into the transformations reshaping the world far beyond football.