Rachel Daly believes heat and humidity could make it unsafe to play matches in the afternoon during the 2026 men’s World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Daly, now at Women’s Super League side Aston Villa, played college football in New York with St John’s Red Storm and had professional stints at three sides in LA, as well as spending six years at Houston Dash in the NSWL.
The England international was asked about her experiences competing in extreme conditions during her time in the U.S., including over summer, and how that might impact players at the 2026 World Cup.
“The humidity is what gets you the most,” Daly said. “And with heat as well, it’s not the best — especially midday.
“Three o’clock kick-offs is something I think should be avoided because it’s not safe.
“The temperatures rise so high there and, from personal experience, it’s not a safe place to be. Hopefully, they can take the times into account.”
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was moved from the summer — when the tournament is traditionally held — to the winter because of concerns over extreme temperatures in the Gulf state. Many stadiums at last year’s tournament had air conditioning as a means of combatting the heat.
The next World Cup is scheduled to take place from mid-June to mid-July in 2026. The average high in Houston, which is one of 11 U.S. host cities for the 2026 World Cup, was 98.5 F (37 C) in July 2022, according to the National Weather Service. By contrast, the average high in Doha, Qatar, in July of this year was 105.8 F (41 C).
The schedule for the 2026 World Cup has yet to be announced but this will be the first time the competition will have 48 teams. Since the tournament expanded to 32 teams in 1998, the group stages have usually seen three to four games played in a day, with staggered kick-off times.
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Sweat tests and compliments on urine - how to prepare for heat of Qatar World Cup
(Photo: Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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