Global footballers’ union FIFPro has urged FIFA to overhaul match scheduling for the 2026 men’s World Cup, warning that extreme summer temperatures in North America pose serious risks to players, officials and spectators. The plea follows searing conditions at the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States, which the union calls a “wake-up call” for football’s governing body. In a new heat-risk analysis, FIFPro says six of the 16 World Cup venues—including Miami, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Kansas City and Monterrey—are ‘extremely high risk’ if matches kick off at midday or mid-afternoon. Only San Francisco and Vancouver are rated low-risk. The study notes that Chelsea’s recent match against ES Tunis in Philadelphia was played in temperatures above 37 °C, conditions the union believes should have triggered a postponement. To mitigate the danger, FIFPro recommends extending half-time from 15 to 20 minutes when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature exceeds 28 °C, introducing two cooling breaks each half, and rescheduling fixtures away from the hottest parts of the day. For the final—set for 19 July 2026 at New Jersey’s open-air MetLife Stadium—it suggests a 9 a.m. local start rather than the 3 p.m. slot favoured by broadcasters. FIFA says player welfare is its “top priority” and points to existing measures such as mandatory cooling breaks, five substitutions and at least three rest days between matches. It has not yet committed to changing the 104-game tournament schedule, setting the stage for a clash between health advocates and commercial interests as kick-off times are finalised after December’s draw.