The World Cup is coming to America in sweltering conditions, and labor advocates warn that thousands of workers assembling the tournament could face serious health threats from extreme heat.
Temperatures in several host cities are expected to exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with some locations potentially reaching 90 degrees or higher. Southern venues including Miami, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta will face the greatest risk, though much of the country is forecasted to experience above-normal temperatures this summer. The planet has warmed more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since the World Cup last came to North America.
A new study published this week found that thousands of World Cup workers will labor in conditions that exceed recommended heat-exposure limits. The research assessed wet-bulb globe temperatures, which measure heat stress by combining temperature, humidity and wind speed.
Workers most vulnerable include those carrying concessions or heavy loads, performing physical labor like construction or field maintenance, wearing bulky costumes such as mascot outfits, and security personnel spending long periods in direct sunlight. Stadium workers at venues without air conditioning, including facilities in Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Kansas City, face elevated dangers.
Jonathan Alingu, co-executive director of Central Florida Jobs With Justice, warned of serious consequences. "It's going to be extremely hot, and you just cannot leave people unprotected or you're going to deal with a lot of injuries," he said. "Or, God forbid, something even worse."
Heat remains the deadliest form of extreme weather. Workers at previous World Cups have suffered and died from heat-related illnesses, and experts warn this year's tournament could prove the hottest since 1930.
Andrew Grundstein, a geographer and climatologist at the University of Georgia who led the study, noted the scale of exposure. "If you think about the delivery people, the law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, people selling concessions or collecting tickets, a whole network of people are going to face heat-related hazards."
Established protections exist but remain inconsistently applied. Mandatory breaks, access to water and shade, and cooling measures can effectively prevent heat illness and injury. Jordan Barab, former deputy assistant secretary of labor at the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, emphasized the simplicity of the solution. "We've known for decades, if not centuries, how to protect workers against heat-related illness and death," he said. "It's not that hard, it's not that expensive, but there are far too many employers who are still neglecting those precautions."
FIFA responded with a statement saying it is "committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff." The organization scheduled many matches for late afternoon and evening hours and plans to deploy cooling measures including shaded areas, misting systems and expanded water distribution. FIFA also plans work-rest schedules, trained medical personnel at every match, real-time weather monitoring and a taskforce of heat experts.
Labor activists remain skeptical about execution. Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, an immigrant rights organizer in Miami, questioned whether evening kickoffs would solve the problem. "Even if the games start after 6pm or after 7pm, here in Miami it can still be dangerously hot during that time." She also noted that stadium workers often arrive hours before kickoff, potentially during the day's hottest hours.
Additional barriers complicate worker protection. Many World Cup workers are temporary contractors who may not be acclimated to local heat conditions. Grundstein explained that bodies of long-time residents adjust to heat through more efficient sweating and better temperature regulation, while newcomers lack these physiological adaptations.
Temporary workers also face reduced bargaining power. Alingu warned that temporary contract workers are less likely to speak up about unsafe conditions. Some unionized workers have secured better protections. SEIU Local 1 in Kansas City negotiated guaranteed access to water, cooling towels and fans during temperature spikes, though union spokesperson Luisangel Rodriguez acknowledged the protections are "never enough when it gets hot."
State law presents another obstacle. Florida and Texas, both hosting World Cup matches, have enacted laws explicitly banning local municipalities from mandating heat protections for workers. Mendez-Zamora explained the challenge: "We have tried to pass ordinances that would have guaranteed protections to workers including at the World Cup, but unfortunately this state has preempted a lot of that."
Nationally, only seven states have enforceable occupational heat safety standards, and just two of them, California and Washington, are hosting World Cup matches. Without federal regulations governing worker heat exposure, employees in most states depend entirely on employer discretion.
Labor rights groups say they plan to monitor working conditions throughout the tournament. "We're now in a mode of needing to observe and report what's happening," Alingu said. "We can't be oblivious to the unsafe conditions and we can't just assume things are going to be fine ... not in this kind of weather."
Author James Rodriguez: "FIFA's heat protections sound comprehensive on paper, but labor advocates have every reason to demand real accountability during the tournament."
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