International soccer players urge FIFA to rethink Club World Cup amid 'dangerous' temperatures in US: 'I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy'

Top soccer players from around the world have bemoaned the intense heat at the U.S.-hosted FIFA Club World Cup, with some calling for organizers to adjust start times, the BBC reported.  

"Honestly, the heat is incredible," said 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández, per the BBC. "The other day I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy."

The inaugural FIFA Club World Cup involved 32 club teams from around the world competing at venues across the U.S., from New Jersey to Miami to Los Angeles to Seattle.

With the matches taking place during June and July, competitors and fans have encountered sweltering conditions. 

In New Jersey, where MetLife Stadium was slated to host the final, temperatures had reached as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit, per the BBC.

"Playing in this temperature is very dangerous," said Fernández, according to the BBC. "It's very dangerous."

More than 100 million people across the Central and Eastern United States experienced record-setting high temperatures during a late-June heat wave, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

While no single severe weather event can be directly tied to human causes, scientists have warned for decades that releasing heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere would cause global temperatures to rise, thereby increasing the magnitude of severe weather events. 

Since the 1960s, heat waves in the U.S. have become more frequent, longer, and hotter, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

These heat waves have deadly consequences. A study published in JAMA in 2024 found that annual heat-related deaths in the U.S. had more than doubled since 1999.

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The U.S. was not alone in experiencing deadly heat in late June. An analysis found that, during a 10-day period ending July 2, approximately 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities, Reuters reported.

In response to the heat, some soccer players have requested that tournament organizers move start times from the afternoon into the evening, when temperatures are cooler, the BBC reported.

The games have been scheduled primarily in the early afternoon locally to coincide with prime viewing hours in lucrative European markets. Shifting games into the evening in the U.S. would mean broadcasting them in the early morning hours in Europe. 

"Well, let's hope that next year they'll change the schedule," said Fernández, per the BBC. 

While the effort to combat rising global temperatures can sometimes feel insurmountable, there are steps that everyone can take to reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution entering the atmosphere. 

For example, riding a bike whenever possible, taking public transit, driving an EV, or even installing solar panels on your home can all make a meaningful difference in the amount of pollution your household generates.

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