THE FORCED BREAK

Climate change means a game of two halves is now four quarters.

Every match. Twice a game. Three minutes each time. Across 104 matches, that adds up to 624 MINUTES - early seven full matches of World Cup football (soccer).

Heat is changing the game.

The Break | why it matters | The Science | Take Action

WHAT IS A FORCED BREAK?

For the first time in World Cup history, FIFA has introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks in both halves of every match – regardless of venue, conditions, or whether the venue has a roof or air conditioning.

At 22 minutes into each half, play will pause. Players will leave the pitch to drink, cool down and recover, while the match clock keeps running.

These breaks were forced into the game by rising temperatures, and into every match at the 2026 World Cup because heat is no longer something players can play through.

Every Forced Break is a moment climate change has interrupted the game.

MEDIA

WHY THIS MATTERS

Hydration Breaks were introduced for matches played in extreme conditions. At this World Cup they are built into every match. Rising temperatures have made these pauses a health necessity rather than a precaution.

In cities that have hosted the World Cup before, extremely hot tournament-season days are now three times more common than they were during the 1986 and 1994 World Cups.

Climate change is changing football.

97 / 104

MATCHES

Climate change is increasing the odds of performance-impairing heat during most scheduled matches.

MATCHES

Nearly half have at least a 50% likelihood of performance-impairing heat.

14 / 16

STADIUMS

Already exceed safe-play thresholds for at least three major climate hazards.

Performance Suffers in Lethal Heat

Heat can affect pace, concentration, tactics and the outcome of matches.

For teams not acclimatised to heat, performance drops by around 3% for every 1°C increase in temperature. A few degrees of warming can have a measurable effect on match performance. [PMC]

Losing just 2% of body weight through dehydration can impair attention, memory and physical performance - skills players rely on to make split-second decisions. [British Journal of Sports Medicine.]

The World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey) is projected to have a 47% likelihood of performance-impairing heat. [Climate Central]

Hotter body

A footballer’s core temperature can reach 39–40°C during a match.

More fluid lost

A 75 kg player can lose up to 3.75 kg of fluid through sweat.

Slower decisions

Heat and dehydration can affect endurance, concentration and decision-making.

Learn more about how heat affects the body in our SCIENCE SECTION

TAKE ACTION

Next Forced Break? Post. The pause. The blank screen. The empty pitch. Show how climate change is reshaping football. Use #ForcedBreak and #WorldCup2026. Tag @projectbasecamp and @fifaworldcup.

WANT TO DO MORE?

Learn about the work of Project Basecamp and how you can support climate action beyond the tournament. Visit ProjectBasecamp.org.

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What this means for your team

science facts

THE BODY HAS A NARROW OPERATING RANGE

Your body is built to work best at around 36.5–37.5°C. To stay at that target temperature, it relies on sweating and increased blood flow to release heat. [StatPearls]

A footballer's core temperature can reach 39–40°C during matches. Football already pushes the body close to its thermal limits; extra environmental heat adds further strain. [MDPI]

HEAT MAKES COOLING HARDER ON THE BODY

When temperatures rise, the body works harder to stay cool. Sweating and increased blood flow remove heat but place a heavy strain on the body. [World Health Organization]

Players can lose 2–5% of their body weight through sweat in a single match. A 75 kg player could lose up to 3.75 kg of fluid during play if hydration isn't managed carefully. [PMC]

HUMIDITY MAKES HEAT MORE DANGEROUS

Each 1°C of global warming allows the atmosphere to hold around 7% more moisture, meaning future heatwaves are increasingly likely to be both hotter and more humid. [FT]

Sweat only cools the body if it can evaporate. High humidity slows evaporation causing players to rapidly overheat, risking dangerous heat illness on the pitch. [EHP]

SAFETY BECOMES THE PRIORITY

Extreme heat can quickly lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. This is why cooling breaks, hydration and schedule changes are increasingly used in football. [FIFPRO]

Kick-off time may be chosen by the thermometer. In a hotter world, matches may need to move to safer hours, especially in tournaments, sunny stadiums and humid regions. [BMJ]

CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASES THE RISK

As temperatures rise, extreme heat events become more frequent, creating dangerous playing conditions for professional and grassroots football. [World Weather Attribution]

Heat can reach a point where playing is impossible. A study projected that heat and humidity could become severe enough to make outdoor activity unsafe for days or weeks. [Earth.org]

GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL IS ALREADY AT RISK

Grassroots pitches in the Global South face, on average, seven times more unplayable heat days than comparable sites in the Global North. [Football for Future / Pitches in Peril]

By 2050, William Troost-Ekong’s childhood pitch in Nigeria could face nearly five months of unplayable heat each year. Tim Cahill’s childhood pitch in Sydney could face flood depths of up to 7 metres during extreme events. [Football for Future / Pitches in Peril]

THE REFEREE

Meet ClimaVAR: your AI-powered climate referee that fact-checks any climate claim against peer-reviewed science in seconds. Give it a try!

COLLABORATORS

This campaign is a collective effort powered by leading climate organizations, academic institutions and grassroots sports movements working to secure the future of football.