Mexico, Ireland Played 1994 World Cup Match in 110-Degree Heat as Climate Risks Grow
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 24
Mexico, Ireland Played 1994 World Cup Match in 110-Degree Heat as Climate Risks Grow
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 24
Summary
June 24, 1994, in Orlando brought field temperatures of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit for Mexico’s World Cup match against Ireland, leaving players visibly drained and fans passing out in the stands.
John Aldridge, who scored Ireland’s only goal, recalled the conditions as “crazy,” with footage showing both teams soaked and slowing within 30 minutes under the midday sun.
That game is still considered perhaps the hottest ever played at a World Cup, and all five Orlando matches in the 1994 tournament were staged in intense heat.
The memory has renewed relevance because the planet has warmed about 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit since then, sharpening concerns over extreme heat as the men’s tournament returned to North America this month.