England soccer star Rachel Daly has warned that extraordinary temperatures in the US, Canada and Mexico could make it unsafe to enjoy afternoon matches at the 2026 Planet Cup.
Soccer’s following world showpiece is scheduled to consider position from mid-June to mid-July in 16 cities across the 3 international locations, 11 of which are situated in the US.
Daly, the 76-cap England international who presently performs for Aston Villa, has formerly plied her trade in America with Houston Sprint and a few expert sides in LA. She also performed college or university soccer in New York with St John’s Pink Storm.
Following enduring the searing heat of a US summertime to start with hand, the Lionesses star thinks staging matches at the 2026 Planet Cup in the afternoon could be perilous.
‘The humidity is what gets you the most,’ Daly explained, by using The Athletic. ‘And with heat as nicely, it is not the finest — particularly midday.
England’s Rachel Daly has warned against playing 2026 World Cup video games in the afternoon
Daly, who formerly spent time with Houston Dash along with 3 LA teams, has knowledgeable the warmth of a US summer initially hand
She thinks enjoying afternoon matches in the US, Canada and Mexico could be unsafe
‘Three o’clock kick-offs is something I consider should really be prevented for the reason that it’s not secure.
‘The temperatures increase so high there and, from personal expertise, it’s not a protected put to be. With any luck ,, they can acquire the situations into account.’
A quantity of US metropolitan areas have set all-time high temperature information this summertime, with Houston – a person of the country’s hosts in 2026 – tying its all-time file temperature with a large of 109F (43C) previous thirty day period. It also established a temperature of 101F (38C) in mid-July.
New York has also experienced a heatwave this summer months, which took its toll on many players at the modern US Open up tennis event.
Planet No 3 and eventual finalist Daniil Medvedev could be listened to telling an umpire all through one particular of the previously rounds of the competition: ‘One player is likely to die, and then you’re going to see…’
Previous year’s Planet Cup in Qatar was moved from the standard summer slot to wintertime because of to fears about the excessive heat levels in the Gulf condition.
The US will have 11 host cities at the event in 2026, including New York (pictured)
Quite a few of the country’s stadiums were being geared up with air conditioning to combat the temperature, which will also be the scenario with most venues in 2026.
In addition, the future Environment Cup will contain 48 teams for the incredibly initial time right after the tournament was expanded from 32 teams for the first time given that 1998.
Team-stage online games have regularly been staggered throughout the working day more than the earlier 25 many years, leaving 2026 Environment Cup chiefs with a predicament on their fingers.