Montagliani: 2026 World Cup Will Take Heat Into Account
Victor Montagliani, FIFA Vice-President, has acknowledged that European viewers may face late nights watching the 2026 World Cup, while organizers work to address the challenge of extreme summer heat in host nations the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Montagliani said FIFA will “learn” from the experiences of players and fans during this year’s Club World Cup held in the U.S. during summer.
Stadiums in cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, and Los Angeles offer air-conditioned, retractable-roof facilities, enabling afternoon kickoffs. Still, Montagliani admitted balancing conditions for both players and broadcasters is complex.
Speaking to Britain’s PA Media, he noted: “We’re in daily talks with European broadcasters about which stadiums could host matches at 3 p.m., like Atlanta for example.”
He added: “Once the fixture list is finalized after the December draw, we’ll do our utmost to ensure everything is taken into consideration.”
Montagliani cautioned: “Will every match be played at a perfect time from a TV perspective? I don’t know—there are too many games. But all factors are being accounted for.”
He also voiced opposition to CONMEBOL’s proposal to expand the 2030 centenary World Cup to 64 teams, maintaining the current expansion to 48 is already sufficient.
