Gianni Infantino, president of the International Football Federation (FIFA), announced that he will expand the use of indoor stadiums to avoid the risks associated with heat during the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup. This is good news for Hong Myung-bo, the head coach of the South Korean national football team.
According to the British BBC on the 13th, Infantino said, "We will actively use dome stadiums for the daytime matches of the North America World Cup."
The tournament in 2026 will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It will open on June 11 and run for about five weeks until the final on July 19.
The final match will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Heat is the biggest variable for this tournament. In particular, the average temperature in the Southern United States in July approaches 40 degrees Celsius, and it recently soared to 38 degrees in New Jersey. Concerns are being raised about player health and performance degradation, given the summer tournament nature.
Infantino noted, "Summer weather in the United States can definitely be a problem," adding that they are exploring various responses such as cooling breaks, sprinkling grass, and adjusting match times.
A total of 48 countries will participate in the North America World Cup. The United States will host matches in 11 cities, including New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Canada will host in Vancouver and Toronto, while Mexico will hold matches in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.
This World Cup includes dome stadiums in Vancouver, Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta.
Infantino said, "The heat issue is a challenge not only for the World Cup but also for the Paris Olympics and other events worldwide," stating that they will mobilize the latest technologies and infrastructure to address it.
Hong Myung-bo, the head coach who observed the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup being held in the United States this month and returned to explore some of the atmosphere at World Cup venues, stated after completing training for the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) on the 3rd, "(The U.S. I visited) was extremely hot. Where we play (in the U.S.) seems to be the most important for the World Cup. The weather differs among the East, Central, and West U.S. Additionally, the match times also change depending on the opposing team. (The timings) are crucial. Once the venues and times for the main matches are confirmed, we will prepare accordingly. We will ensure that the other aspects are well-prepared from now on."
If South Korea has to play in daytime matches, Coach Hong will hope that Infantino's words are upheld.
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