Heatstroke, sports washing and VAR psychology: the science of the World Cup

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Science

4.2 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 4 June 2026

⏱️ 21 minutes

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Summary

It’s just a week until the first whistle of the 2026 World Cup. To mark the occasion, Madeleine Finlay talks to Ian Sample about the science behind the tournament. It’s likely to be one of the hottest ever World Cups, and scientists have written to Fifa asking it to reconsider its heat mitigations for players and referees. Dr Oliver Gibson of Brunel University outlines their concerns. Also on the agenda is the huge fossil-fuel impact of the tournament, and the effect of VAR on the psychology of referees and fans. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is The Guardian.
0:02.0	It's just a week until the first whistle blows at the 2026 World Cup in North America and Mexico.
0:19.0	Temperatures are set to be sweltering and a group of scientists is raising the alarm
0:24.7	about the impact on players and the quality of the game.
0:29.3	Heat is also on FIFA as campaigners call out their fossil fuel sponsorship.
0:34.5	Is it another own goal for their climate strategy?
0:40.7	And spare a thought for the refs. On top of the climate, they're having to deal with a stepped-up VAR system this year. How will it
0:47.4	impact their decisions? Our Football Weekly colleagues asked us to look into the Science of the World Cup.
1:00.7	And, well, how could we refuse?
1:04.5	From The Guardian, I'm Madeleine Finley, and this is Science Weekly.
1:13.4	Ian, thank you for joining me at this very special Football Weekly Science Weekly
1:19.1	Co-Lab.
1:20.2	Now, we're starting with something that might not be too familiar to the English and Scottish
1:25.5	teams at least playing in the heat.
1:28.2	And this is actually something that's also got scientists worried.
1:32.8	What are their concerns?
1:34.2	Well, the predictions are that this could be the hottest World Cup ever,
1:39.3	or if not one of the hottest World Cups ever.
1:42.1	And that has prompted a group of doctors and scientists to
1:45.5	write an open letter to FIFA because they're really concerned about the potential for harm to players
1:51.6	and even match officials, the referees. I spoke to Dr. Oliver Gibson. He's one of the signatories of
1:57.7	this letter and he's a member of academic staff at Brunel University of London.
	...

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