Norwegian midfielder Morten Thorsby, widely expected to represent his country at the forthcoming World Cup, has aligned with a coalition of current and former players demanding that FIFA reinforce its heat‑management protocols. Their appeal comes as climate scientists warn that rising temperatures could jeopardize player safety during the tournament.
Thorsby, who founded the environmental advocacy group “We Play Green” in 2020, helped draft an open letter to FIFA that underscores the need for the best available medical expertise to address heat stress. The letter, co‑signed by several international athletes, calls for concrete actions beyond the sport’s current safeguards.
Leading health experts have voiced alarm over the potential for heat‑related injuries, recommending mandatory six‑minute cooling breaks and more fully equipped locker rooms. They stress that adequate hydration stations and climate‑controlled benches are essential to protect athletes competing in increasingly hot conditions.
FIFA’s Current Heat Safeguards
In response to earlier concerns, FIFA established a Heat Illness Mitigation and Management Task Force and introduced measures such as hydration breaks and climate‑controlled substitutes’ benches. The organization also factored climate data into the match schedule, aiming to minimize exposure during the hottest parts of the day.
Recent research indicates that 14 of the 16 host cities will experience extreme heat, with wet‑bulb globe temperatures projected to exceed 90 °F in the afternoons in Monterrey, Mexico, and similar conditions noted in Miami, Florida. These figures have intensified scrutiny on the adequacy of existing protocols.
The growing coalition of players and health professionals emphasizes that safeguarding athletes is not only a matter of performance but also of fundamental safety. As the tournament approaches, the pressure on FIFA to adopt more robust, science‑based heat policies continues to mount.