This article was co-authored by Rabbi Shammai Enngelmayer

The World Cup kicked off on June 11, and climatologists are warning that at least a quarter of its 104 matches may be played in temperatures of at least 90°F (33.2C), with humidity likely to make it feel even hotter. The National Weather Service (NWS) has been issuing advisories for parts of California, Oregon, and Washington, warning of “lethal” temperatures that could reach up to 110°F.

Climate change has brought record-breaking temperatures globally this century. In fact, all 26 years in this century have been among the 27 hottest years on record. With a strong El Niño likely to provide an extra boost, the NWS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other authoritative agencies warn that 2026 could be the hottest year on record, a dubious distinction currently held by 2024.

That is why many climatologists and sports medicine practitioners predict this may be the most dangerous World Cup ever played and the last to be held in the early summer months. At least one expert, Elliot Arthur-Worsop, suggests that this will be the last time the games will be played in North America, at least in its current summer format.

Temperatures of 90 °F not only will interfere with how players perform on the field but will also prove dangerous to “the spectators and the officials,” says Arthur-Worsop, who heads Football For Future, a British-based nonprofit dedicated to “future-proofing” soccer.

We saw an inkling of this danger on opening day when 112 people suffered heat-related illnesses during a fan-centered World Cup event held in Houston.

The risk extends far beyond soccer, however. As Los Angeles Times sportswriter Kevin Baxter reported on June 6, “Some climatologists fear summer events like the World Cup and Olympic Games are just one heatwave away from a major weather-related tragedy.”

The oft-heard “solution” is to move the games closer to winter. The concerns about the World Cup, however, should be a wake-up call: It is long past time for us to deal with this major existential threat to humanity’s future.

Global warming is taking a huge toll. Seas are rising rapidly due to the melting of glaciers and polar ice........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)