Mondial 2026 : Pourquoi le choc France-Sénégal est officiellement classé "à haut risque"
The France-Senegal match, scheduled for June 16, 2026, in New Jersey, has now been identified as a "high-risk" encounter by climate experts. This highly anticipated match will be played outdoors and during the day, in weather conditions that are causing serious concern within the scientific community. FIFA was contacted on Thursday by researchers who fear the combined effects of extreme heat and high humidity on the health of those involved in the game during this World Cup in North America.
The warning comes from two networks of experts: the World Weather Attribution (WWA) collective and some twenty scientists who signed an "open letter to FIFA." According to the WWA, a quarter of the matches in this competition, held from June 11 to July 19 in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, could take place in extremely hot conditions. Due to climate change, the risk is considered far more serious than during the previous tournament held in the United States in 1994.
To assess the danger of the situation, researchers rely on the WBGT index, which measures the human body's ability to cool itself by taking into account temperature, humidity, and sunlight. Moderate temperature combined with high humidity can indeed become fatal.
Approximately 26 matches will likely be played in conditions of 26°C WBGT or higher, requiring stringent cooling measures. Five matches could even reach the critical threshold of 28°C WBGT, a level at which the players' union is suggesting outright cancellation of the games.
Besides the France-Senegal match, other open-air stadiums in Miami and Kansas City are also under close observation. While some venues are air-conditioned, experts are concerned about the fans gathered outside, who are often less well-supported medically than the athletes. Furthermore, scientists criticize the three-minute cooling breaks implemented by FIFA, deeming them too short to ensure effective rehydration, and recommend stops of at least six minutes. Faced with these concerns, FIFA has stated that it is monitoring the situation in real time and is prepared to implement contingency protocols in case of extreme weather.
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