'Like a sauna' - weather concerns continue at Club World Cup

Niko Kovac (right) at the TQL Stadium where temperatures reached 32C

Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac said he was "sweating like I've just come out of a sauna" after his side beat Mamelodi Sundowns in 32C heat at the Club World Cup in Cincinnati on Saturday.

Dortmund's substitutes kept out of the heat by watching the first half from the dressing room, then sheltered under umbrellas on the bench for the second.

"Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun at TQL Stadium - never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense," Dortmund posted on X.

Kovac had raised concerns about the conditions before the game, which kicked off at noon local time.

"It was tough going for both teams, but the opposition are used to it [in South Africa]," he added afterwards.

Weather concerns have continued to shape the Club World Cup, with a fourth game delayed because of thunderstorms on Friday.

Meanwhile, a heatwave is expected next week.

"Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun at TQL Stadium - never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense," Dortmund posted on X

The second half of Benfica's Group C game against Auckland City kicked off more than two hours late because of heavy rain and storms in Orlando.

The kick-off for Mamelodi Sundowns against Ulsan HD in the same city had been delayed for over an hour.

And there were long pauses in the second halves of Palmeiras v Al-Ahly in New Jersey (40 minutes) and Salzburg v Pachuca in Cincinnati (90 minutes).

Campaign group Fossil Free Football say 10 matches are due to be played in the next week with either a major or extreme heat risk, as temperatures could reach 41C.

This comes just a year out from the World Cup which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"Many of the players expecting to compete in 2026 are already getting a taste of what's to come," said Dr Chris Tyler, an environmental physiologist from the University of Roehampton and an authority on heat stress in elite sports.

"Such conditions will be commonplace with many of the fixtures scheduled for before 5pm to maximise TV audiences.

"Extreme heat could become the tournament's most formidable opponent."

A statement from the world governing body read: "Fifa will continue to monitor the weather conditions in coordination with the venue teams to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved."

'The dangers facing players'

The half-time break in Benfica's match against Auckland City ended up lasting about two and a half hours

Fossil Free Football say: "Particular concern is for the fixtures in the no-shade stadium in Charlotte where a heat index of 38C (Real Madrid v Pachuca) and 41C (Benfica v Bayern) is forecast for the next two matches.

"This underlines the dangers facing players and fans at this tournament and in 2026. Fifa have done very little to allay safety concerns."

The game between New Zealand part-timers Auckland City and Boca Juniors is also due to take place in 41C in Nashville at a ground with limited cover.

Matches in Philadelphia, New York, Cincinnati and Washington DC will also be played in the anticipated heatwave.

After Atletico's 4-0 defeat by Paris St-Germain in 32C in Pasadena, Marcos Llorente said it was "terribly hot" and added "my toes were sore, my nails were hurting... it's incredible".

Fans spoke of having to leave that game because of the heat - and complained about long queues and restrictions of water when arriving at the stadium.

A Fifa statement read: "Fifa's top priority is the health of everyone involved in football, and Fifa's medical experts have been in regular contact with the clubs participating to address heat management and acclimatisation."

The governing body added there will continue to be cooling breaks in the 30th and 75th minute where needed - and that fans are allowed to bring empty clear bottles of up to one litre into stadiums.

Chelsea, who are one of two English teams competing along with Manchester City, beat Los Angeles FC in their opener but then lost 3-1 to Flamengo on Friday.

"It's not easy because of the temperature," said boss Enzo Maresca. "We're going to try to rotate players."

When it rains, it pours

Fans at several games - including Palmeiras v Al-Ahly - have had to leave their seats and go inside the stadium during storms

As well as the danger posed by the heat to players, staff and supporters, from a scheduling point of view there will be concerns about the delays to games.

Four of the first 21 games faced waits ranging from 40 minutes to two-and-a-half hours for thunder and lightning storms and heavy rain.

Broadcasters will not be happy with the potential for overlapping matches at the 2026 World Cup.

Benfica v Auckland City was due to conclude an hour before Chelsea's match against Flamengo started - but ended up finishing well after the final whistle had been blown in the Blues' defeat.

"This is the longest game of my career," said Benfica coach Bruno Lage. "A special thanks to our fans, who have been here for five hours supporting the team.

"We played as well as we could. The temperature made it very difficult."