FIFPRO Considers 20-Minute Halftimes and More Cooling Breaks to Combat Extreme Heat

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Football's global players' union FIFPRO is looking at some big changes to keep players safe in scorching temperatures. They're thinking about stretching halftime to 20 minutes N8 Withdrawal Process: पैसे कैसे निकालें?and adding more cooling breaks during matches. It's all about player safety as the heat turns up.

Nine of the 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup are expected to face what experts call "extreme risk" conditions. Cities like Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, and Philadelphia could see dangerous N8निकासी प्रक्रिया – तेज़ और सुरक्षितcombinations of heat and humidity that put players' health on the line.

Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO's Medical Director, thinks our current approach to cooling breaks doesn't make much sense. "Cooling breaks at the 30th and 75th minute are quite traditional, but from a N8 Uwin – India’s Popular Online Casino Platformphysiological view it doesn't work well," he explained. He suggests more frequent but shorter breaks every 15 minutes instead.

Longer Halftime Could Help Players Recover

The traditional 15-minute halftime might not be enough in extreme heat, according to FIFPRO experts. "You can imagine that 15 minuteN8 Referral Code: 100% वर्किंग कोड 2025s might not be enough to decrease core temperature," Gouttebarge said. The union plans to test a 20-minute halftime strategy in Portugal this August.

We've already seen warning signs at this month's Club World Cup. Matches between Benfica-Bayern Munich and Chelsea-Esperance bN8लॉगिन – तेज़ और आसान पहुँचoth exceeded safety thresholds. FIFPRO believes these games should have been rescheduled for player safety.

FIFA has shown some flexibility during the tournament by lowering thresholds for mandatory cooling breaks. They've also improved pitch-side hydN8 Casino APK – Safe & Latest Versionration options. Alex Phillips, FIFPRO General Secretary, gave FIFA credit for adapting but wished these changes Download N8 – Play Casino on Your Mobilecame earlier.

2026 World Cup Faces Major Heat Challenges

The concerns highlighted at the Club World Cup are just a preview of what players might face at the expanded 2026 World Cup. With more teams, more matches, and extreme temperaturesN8 Casino APK – Download for Android, player welfare becomes even more critical.

FIFPRO measures heat risk using the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT). This combines actual temperature with humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed. Any reading above 28 degUwin N8 – India's Trusted Online Casinorees Celsius suggests matches should be postponed or rescheduled.

For bettors, these potential changes could significantly impact game dynamics. Longer halftimes might affect second-half perfoN8 Live Casino – India’s Premier Online Casinormance patterns. More frequent cooling breaks could disrupt team momentum and potentially create more scoring opportunities as players get additional rest.

Alexander Bielefeld from FIFPRO highlighted a key tension in scheduling: "We need a better balance between commercial interests and player heaN8बोनस ऑफ़र – रजिस्टर करें और जीतेंlth." Early kickoffs to please European TV audiences often mean players competing in the day's worst heat.

If adopted, these measures would represent one of the biggest changes to football's match format in years. The proposals show how seriously authorities are taking climN8 Game – Top Online Casino in Indiaate concerns as extreme weather becomes more common at major tournaments.

Last updated: September 2025
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