Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 11
NWS Warns Miami World Cup Quarter-Final Faces 41C Heat Index as WBGT Nears 28-30C
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 11

NWS Warns Miami World Cup Quarter-Final Faces 41C Heat Index as WBGT Nears 28-30C

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 11

Summary

  • 41C heat-index conditions are forecast for Saturday’s England-Norway quarter-final in Miami, where the National Weather Service has warned of a “hazardous heat threat” and says heat-related illness risk will rise.
  • WBGT readings around kick-off are estimated at 28-30C, a range in which players’ union Fifpro says matches should be delayed or postponed, though there is no indication the game will be called off.
  • Hard Rock Stadium’s roof can worsen conditions by limiting airflow and trapping humidity, even with air temperatures near 33C; thunderstorms are also possible around the start of the match.
  • England have mostly avoided outdoor heat so far, while Norway have already played several warm-weather games, including a 2-1 win over Brazil in New Jersey during an extreme-heat warning.
  • Heat has already affected spectators in Miami: Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue logged 38 heat-related calls and five hospital treatments across the stadium’s first three matches.

Insights

Is Miami's 'humidity trap' stadium a glimpse into the perilous future of summer sports?
With a new player-veto deal, why is this 'dangerous' World Cup match still on?