Heat risks for fans an issue at World Cup, say experts

With less than six months to go before the 2026 World Cup kicks off, organisers are bracing for what could be their most challenging opponent yet - extreme heat.

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Soaring temperatures across the United States, Mexico and Canada pose safety issues for players and fans and a host of logistical issues that remain far from settled.

In the depths of the US$5.5 billion (S$7.06 billion) SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which will host eight matches, around 15 industrial misting fans more than two metres tall sit in storage, waiting to be deployed.

If temperatures climb above 26.7 deg C, the fans will be rolled out around the stadium.

A roof suspended some 45 metres above the pitch offers shade for spectators, while large openings along the sides allow breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean to provide natural cooling.

"Knowing that you can put 70,000 people into a building the energy, the excitement, the activity that comes with that, and the higher temperature that's where we want to make sure we respond," said Otto Benedict, vice-president of operations for the company that manages the stadium.

Not all the World Cup's 16 stadiums are as modern.

Southern California is not considered to be among the highest-risk areas for a summer competition scheduled from June 11 to July 19.