The United Nations climate secretariat on Monday warned that extreme heat could be a key factor at the World Cup tournament, set to kick off in Mexico on Thursday.

The climate secretariat at the start of a 10-day climate conference in Bonn, Germany, said, “The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the biggest tournament in football history, will be played at a time of rising levels of extreme heat, driven by worsening climate change, hitting billions of people around the world.

“This extreme heat can be expected to be part of the story of the tournament, on the pitch, in the stands, around stadiums and across host cities.’’

It said around one in four matches was expected to be played in dangerous heat. While players would at least receive intensive medical care, fans in stadiums would largely be left to fend for themselves, the secretariat said.

“The danger can be greatest outside the stadium. Fan zones, queues, transport routes, car parks and outdoor celebrations can expose people to dangerous heat for hours,’’ it added.

The UN climate agency noted that even those following the tournament only on television would notice how the changing climate was affecting the event.

The pace of some matches could be slower because players would have to conserve their energy. Earlier substitutions, drinking breaks and the use of cooling towels were also likely, it said.

Countless people love football, but unfortunately, it is now often too hot to play, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said.

“It’s hot and getting hotter. That’s not random. That’s climate change.’’ The planet is heating up after more than a century of burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. That traps heat in the atmosphere.

“And now we are feeling it everywhere. And it’s not just the things we love, like football and the many other sports under serious pressure from global heating.

It’s also the things we need like food, as global heating hits harvests and pushes up prices for everyone,” he added. 

(dpa/NAN)