Soaring temperatures at this year's Club World Cup have raised concerns over afternoon kickoff times at the 2026 World Cup, as the expanded tournament poses logistical challenges for organizers.
A heat wave across the United States saw Borussia Dortmund face South Korea's Ulsan in Cincinnati on Wednesday with temperatures exceeding 32.2 degrees Celsius with the kickoff at 3 p.m. local time.
Players took advantage of FIFA's once-per-half cooling breaks during games this week while Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told reporters it was "impossible" to organize regular training sessions in the afternoons in sweltering Philadelphia.
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