The South American Championship, which is being held in the USA, is characterized by heat. A reference to the 2026 World Cup.
Heated games: During the match Peru vs. Canada, an assistant referee collapsed in the heat Photo: imago/ZUMA Press Wire
The Copa América is taking place in the USA at the same time as the European Football Championship. Both are continental tournaments, and both of them feature the best national teams in the world.
And this: Both show problems that football has so far been more than reluctant to face. While here, heavy rain sometimes disrupts the strict schedule, in the USA, people have to contend with other extreme weather conditions.
During the Canada-Peru (1-0) match in Kansas City, the linesman fainted at halftime. Dehydrated. Too hot. During the Uruguay-Panama (3-1) match in Florida, Uruguay’s Ronal Araújo was substituted at halftime because he felt dizzy. Same cause.
Temperatures in the south of the USA are currently not that extreme at 30 to 35 degrees Celsius, but the high humidity has a dramatic effect on even very well-trained athletes. The body does not cool down well: sweat is produced, but nothing evaporates.
The famous trainer’s advice “You just have to drink more” doesn’t seem to be enough.
There is reportedly no shortage of drinks being given to the players between games. The famous coach’s advice “You just have to drink more” does not seem to be enough. Observers of US sports note that there are significantly more breaks in sports such as baseball or football. Doug Case, an expert on heat stroke, told the TV channel ESPN: “Football scares us because there are no breaks in football.”
Problems of the 2026 World Cup
Those responsible were aware of the problems, which not only exist in the southern USA but also in other countries on both American continents. One way to counteract this is to set later kick-off times – an aspect that is also important for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in Mexico, the USA and Canada. A spokesperson for FIFA, the world football association, said they were monitoring the situation and would possibly react to it.
But there are doubts as to whether questions concerning the health of players and referees are really best left to FIFA. Observers of the Copa América are currently discussing other reforms: heat breaks once per half, shorter warm-ups before games and for substitutes, longer acclimatization periods of up to two weeks before games in hot regions and much more.
2024-06-30 16:01:59
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