FIFA hits back of the sweat..

Gruelling heat a sign of things to come for soccer showcases

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SUBSTITUTES who watch from the locker room, abandoned training sessions and more frequent breaks in play...

A heatwave hitting a wide swathe of the US is taking a toll on players at the FIFA Club World Cup.

And the gruelling conditions could also be a preview of what's to come next summer when the US, Canada and Mexico host soccer's premier event, the 2026 World Cup.

Ireland players and fans will be hoping to be there for it. But how are new waves of climate change-driven heatwaves changing things like watching the sports we love?

"It's impossible, it's terribly hot. My toes were sore, even my toenails were hurting, I couldn't stop or start. In the end, it's incredible, but since it's the same for everyone, there's no excuse," Atletico's Marcos Llorente said following a match against Paris Saint-Germain.