Climate Change Affects Football in World Cup Host Nations

WOW: 78% of #GenZ attend #livesporting events mainly for celebrity appearances and brand activations, NOT JUST THE GAME (USC Annenberg/ACC) ALSO: 71% of GenZ say a brand's live event made them trust it more (Freeman Gen Z Report) If your team has #sports ad targets this season, this is the window where the biggest moves happen. #MediaRadar tracks #livesports spend shifts across advertisers, so you can see where the money's headed before the game airs.

The 2026 World Cup made history for reasons beyond the scoreboard — for the first time in the tournament's 96 years, matches were interrupted for mid-half hydration breaks. Most American media coverage treated this as a thinly veiled excuse for extra commercial time. Almost none explained the actual reason behind it. Telemundo was the exception. Journalist Vanessa Hauc reported that a 89°F game-time temperature in Miami "can feel closer to 101°F" on the field once humidity and sun exposure are factored in, calling hydration breaks "a safety measure in an increasingly hotter world" driven by fossil fuel emissions. The push for these breaks originated with FIFPRO, the international players union, after a referee fainted from heat exhaustion during last summer's FIFA Club World Cup. FIFPRO's recommended threshold for suspending play was 28°C wet bulb temperature; FIFA held out for 32°C. Hydration breaks were the compromise. A Yale Program on Climate Change Communication study found that 74% of Americans are interested in climate-related news coverage — suggesting Telemundo's approach wasn't just responsible journalism, but a commercially smart one too. Written by Covering Climate Now. Image via Pexels. Full story: https://hubs.la/Q04r8Zmf0 #Climate #Media #Sports #Sustainability

I finally got some thoughts that had been popping up in my head onto paper. In my latest piece for the Football Peace Academy and Youth Transforming Narratives, I combined my work in Sport for Development and Peace and my commitment to decolonizing International Peace and Security to look at the decolonization of football. My goal was to illustrate with some recent events on the world’s biggest stage of sports as entertainment the presence of colonial legacies in the global game and provoke some critical thinking on how to dismantle them. Now that the 2026 Men's World Cup is over, you will keep seeing a lot of football-related content here and I hope I can continue to contribute to the debate, because if we are to move beyond rhetoric and generate structural change, we can’t just read and talk about this once every four years. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eqhSJ98b Thank you to Prof Tom Woodhouse, Balkis Chaabane, MA, MAS, MCS and Josh Phillips for your encouragement and support!

A new player-led climate movement is here. More than 20 current and former professional footballers have come together to establish The Playable Future Coalition, advocating for climate adaptation to become part of every major football tournament's legacy. "Every professional footballer started on a grassroots pitch. Those communities invested in us long before the world knew our names. Now it's our turn to stand together and help protect them." - Tiffany Sornpao, founding member & goalkeeper for Vitória SC. Coalition members are using their collective influence to push governing bodies and tournament organisers to protect the grassroots pitches and communities where football begins. Launching today with founding members from across the men's and women's game, with more players joining ahead of the Coalition's full public launch at New York Climate Week 2026. Are you a current or former player? Join the Coalition - link in comments.

In a time when we’re being bombarded with AI-generated videos, it’s a pleasure to come across one that has been so thoughtfully crafted by hand. Every shot is intentional, every cut, every shift in rhythm, every sound design choice... all in service of emotion. Hats off to BBC Sport and Dominic Robson https://lnkd.in/eE57jPEh

How can Glasgow 2026 leave a lasting legacy for Scotland? Professors Gayle McPherson and David McGillivray recently spoke to Holyrood Communications to share their insights on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Gayle discusses the shift towards a more sustainable and accessible model for hosting major events, moving away from traditional, high-cost approaches. Meanwhile, David explains how the Games provide Scotland with a brilliant opportunity to build on recent soft power successes, strengthening international relations and generating wider economic and sporting benefits. Find out more about their thoughts on the future of major sporting events: https://lnkd.in/eghkHGfN #UWS #Glasgow2026 #CommonwealthGames

Protecting the next generation of sports starts with education 🛡️ At the World Climbing Youth Championship Arco 2026, our Head of Integrity Education, Andrew Whittingham, led an integrity workshop for young athletes - covering competition manipulation, responsible social media use, and how to recognize threats to fair play. Because building a values-driven sporting environment means equipping athletes with the knowledge to protect it from day one. 🧗 Learn more about Sportradar Integrity Services here: https://ow.ly/Pgw050ZuE4o #IntegrityInSport #SportradarIntegrity

https://ow.ly/wPYP50Zx8EI Sports bring people together, but every major event, stadium, and team also has a financial story. In this episode, we discuss World Cup costs, taxpayer-funded stadiums, team ownership, and why the right location can shape long-term success. Do you think cities benefit from investing in professional sports? #BeyondDollarsandSensePodcasts #AllenandCompanyofFl

On the latest episode of #TheIndisposablePodcast, we're digging in to what scoring goals for reuse actually takes ⚽️🏅 The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought out nearly seven million fans across 16 host cities. And while FIFA didn’t choose reuse, several host cities stepped up with their own reuse initiatives at Fan Fests and watch parties. Host Brooking Gatewood speaks with Seattle Public Utilities’ Ashima Sukhdev and Toronto Environmental Alliance’s Emily Alfred about how hosting the World Cup sparked conversation and enthusiasm for reuse systems in unprecedented ways ✨️ 🎧 Listen now at the link in the comments! #WorldCup #choosereuse #reusesystems #reuseatevents

Endurance alone isn't enough. Science must lead the way in protecting our players. 🌍⚽ Every year, thousands of young African footballers train and compete in extreme heat that many academies elsewhere would consider unsafe. Protecting our talent starts with smarter coaching, better scheduling, and climate-adaptation science. 📖 Read the full article and discover why heat safety must become a top priority for African football: 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/eymmfbkK #AfricanFootball #PlayerSafety #SportsScience #YouthFootball #AfricanCoachesConnect