Sports
Blistering heat puts Club World Cup on boil, raises red flags for 2026
Substitutes retreat to locker rooms, practices canceled, jerseys drenched – the relentless heat wave sweeping across much of the United States is pushing players at the FIFA Club World Cup to their physical limits.
The punishing conditions offer a scorching preview of what players and fans might face next summer during the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“It’s impossible – brutally hot,” Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente said after facing Paris Saint-Germain. “My toes were sore, even my toenails hurt. I couldn’t stop or start. But since it’s the same for everyone, there are no excuses.”
A stagnant “heat dome” of high pressure has gripped the central and eastern U.S., sending temperatures soaring above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), with heat indexes climbing even higher.
It’s a dangerous mix for both players and fans, heightening the risk of dehydration, muscle cramps and potentially life-threatening conditions such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
“In Europe it’s more of a dry heat, and this is more of a humid heat. I think it’s going to hit them twice as hard,” fan Tyler Fernando said before Bayern Munich’s match against Benfica on Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the temperature was 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) at game time.
Spectators at the Auckland City match against Boca Juniors in Nashville on Tuesday also endured temperatures in the mid-30s degrees Celsius (mid-90s degrees Fahrenheit). Male fans went shirtless, and many sought out shaded sections.
Heat is a particular concern during tournaments like the Club World Cup because players don’t have much time to recover between games. In the group stage, matches are usually staggered daily, meaning some teams play under the midday sun.
Chelsea cut short a practice session in Philadelphia, where temperatures reached above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).
“I always try to avoid excuses; I always try to be honest. It’s not about excuses, it’s about reality. It’s an excuse when it’s not hot and we say it’s hot – that’s an excuse. But if it’s hot, it’s hot. We’re here, and we’re trying to do our best,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said.
During a match between Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns, Dortmund posted on social media: “Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun at TQL Stadium – never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense.”
“We always think about how we can help the team, how we can minimize a negative influence. And it was just very, very hot. We had cooling sticks to help the players. We had them waiting in the dressing room with air conditioning,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said through an interpreter. “This was very important for all of us. It’s not only about tactics, but also about minimizing the load and the stress. The stress is already high enough.”
FIFA guidelines mandate cooling breaks when the wet-bulb globe temperature – a composite of factors including temperature and humidity – reaches 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The breaks usually occur around the 30th and 75th minutes.
Cooling breaks were first used at the 2008 Olympic final between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Nigeria at Beijing’s National Stadium, where the on-field temperature reached 42 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit).
At the time, such breaks were rare. They became more common after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where a Brazilian labor court ordered hydration breaks when the wet-bulb globe temperature reached 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took to social media to urge Club World Cup fans to exercise caution in the heat before Inter Miami’s match against Palmeiras on Monday night. Chelsea also posted “heat mitigation” guidelines on its official website before its match against Esperance on Tuesday.
It’s not just high temperatures that impact summer tournaments – five Club World Cup matches have been delayed by thunderstorms.
Climate will be an increasing concern for FIFA as global temperatures rise. Sixteen cities will host World Cup games next year. Five of the stadiums have roofs to provide some sun protection.
In Mexico, venues in Mexico City and Guadalajara could be impacted by hurricane season, while Monterrey regularly sees summer temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).
Following the 2026 World Cup, the 2030 edition will be held in Morocco, Spain and Portugal. And the issue isn’t limited to the men’s game: The 2027 Women’s World Cup is set to be played in Brazil.
Peter Crisp of Fossil Free Football said, “Scheduling matches in no-shade stadiums in the middle of the day and promoting oil-dependent sponsors shows FIFA is dangerously out of touch with the threat extreme heat poses to its major summer tournaments.”
Stephen Curry hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 50 seconds left as the Golden State Warriors rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 on Wednesday, keeping their NBA play-in hopes alive.
Curry, a four-time NBA champion who missed 27 games from February to early April with a nagging knee injury, shook off a slow first half to finish with 35 points.
He connected on seven of 12 of his 3-point attempts to help the Warriors, who trailed most of the way, battle back from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit.
His last three-pointer put the Warriors up 120-117, and they held on to knock Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers out of the postseason.
The Warriors, who finished the regular season 10th in the Western Conference, will have to win one more game to reach the playoffs proper when they face the Phoenix Suns Friday.
The winner of that game will secure the Western Conference’s eighth seed and a first-round series against the top-seeded, reigning-champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Curry said the key in Phoenix will once again be “resiliency.”
“These win-or-go-home scenarios, we think we know the team, but you’ve got to be able to withstand the runs and stay in it emotionally.”
“It was back and forth the whole game and then we got over the hump the last three minutes,” he said.
Gui Santos and Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 points apiece for the Warriors and Al Horford made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points to lead the Clippers. Leonard and Darius Garland scored 21 points each, but Leonard was held to just two points in the final period.
Sixers reach playoffs
The Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 31 points from Tyrese Maxey, held off the Orlando Magic 109-97 to punch their playoff ticket, booking a first-round meeting with the Boston Celtics.
Maxey scored 31 points and five Philadelphia players scored in double figures as the Sixers overcame the absence of star big man Joel Embiid – who made a surprise appearance watching from the bench as he recovers from an appendectomy.
“Man, we played hard as hell,” Maxey said. “Everybody who stepped on the floor contributed tonight.
“I’m just so happy because, like, a lot of these guys ain’t been to the playoffs before. I told them at the beginning of the year, I don’t care what it takes, we’re going to the playoffs.”
Rookie VJ Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds and Andre Drummond came off the bench to score 14 points with 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.
The 76ers’ play-in victory secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round series against the second-seeded Celtics starting Sunday.
The Magic, led by 34 points from Desmond Bane, will have a last chance to grab the East eighth seed on Friday when they host the Charlotte Hornets, who knocked out the Miami Heat in a 127-126 overtime thriller Tuesday.
The reward for the winner of Friday’s game will be a first-round series against East’s top seeds, Detroit.
Philadelphia led most of the night, but in a tight, sometimes contentious battle, the Magic cut an 11-point deficit midway through the third quarter to one early in the fourth.
Orlando trailed by just four with four minutes remaining, but the Sixers pulled away with a late spurt capped by Drummond’s three-pointer with 41 seconds left.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Iran will “for sure” play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite the U.S.-Israel war on the country, insisting the qualified team will take part in the tournament hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Iran will play “for sure” at the World Cup in the summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada despite the war with the U.S. and Israel, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said.
Infantino told American broadcasters CNBC at their Invest in America Forum that playing at the big event was important for the country.
Infantino said that Iran will be “coming for sure.”
“Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”
“They should play – sports should be outside of politics. Now, okay – we don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth, but if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them intact and together, well we are doing that.”
The U.S. and Israel started airstrikes against Iran on Feb. 28. Now, a fragile cease-fire is in place.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he considers it as not “appropriate” for Iran to take part in the tournament “for their own life and safety.”
Iran had a request to move their group matches from the U.S. to Mexico turned down by FIFA, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Iran are set to play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle at the June 11-July 19 tournament.
Infantino visited the Iran team for a recent friendly against Costa Rica, where he expressed optimism and after the original suggestions that the team may not play, there are now more positive signals from Iran.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei has said that “there is no reason at the moment not to participate,” and Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali was also upbeat, as long as the cease-fire remains in place and the safety of the team in the U.S. was guaranteed.
“The more normal the situation, the more likely taking part will be,” he said.
Infantino agreed, saying: “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help.”
A final decision on Iran’s participation is said to be made by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, led by Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and overseen by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
LaMelo Ball alternated between spectacular plays and costly mistakes as the Charlotte Hornets edged the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime Tuesday to knock them out of the NBA play-in tournament.
Charlotte had never won a win-or-go-home postseason game in 12 previous attempts and looked in danger of extending that record after blowing a 125-120 lead with 26 seconds remaining to allow Miami to edge ahead 126-125.
After Miami star Tyler Herro sank a superb corner 3-pointer to make it 125-123, Ball carelessly turned over possession and then gave away three free throws with a rash lunge on Herro.
Herro drained all three shots to give Miami the lead with just nine seconds left.
Ball, however, made amends with a determined driving layup to make it 127-126 before an athletic block from Miles Bridges snuffed out Miami’s last-gasp attempt to win it.
“We stuck with it and ground it out,” Ball said. “We wasn’t hitting our threes, all the shots weren’t hitting, but we stuck with it.”
Ball was at the center of controversy over an incident in the second quarter, which led to Miami star Bam Adebayo hobbling out of the game.
After being blocked during a drive to the basket, Ball reached out and tripped Adebayo with a tug on his standing leg, sending the Miami star crashing to the hardwood. He played no further part in the game.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was furious that Ball escaped an ejection.
“The referees are there for what? How did they not see that? I don’t want this to be an excuse, Charlotte was incredible at the end,” Spoelstra fumed.
“I don’t think that’s cute. I don’t think it’s funny. I think it’s a stupid play. It’s a dangerous play. Our best player is out.
“(LaMelo) should be penalized for that. I don’t think that belongs in the game, tripping guys, shenanigans. Someone has got to see that. And he should have been thrown out of the game for that.”
The victory means Charlotte, beaten in their two previous appearances in the play-in tournament in 2021 and 2022, remain alive in the postseason while Miami are eliminated.
Charlotte will face the loser of Wednesday’s Eastern Conference play-in game between the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic and seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
The reward for the winner of that game Friday is a first-round playoff series against top seeds Detroit.
In Tuesday’s Western Conference play-in game, a sensational 41-point display from Israeli forward Deni Avdija inspired the Portland Trail Blazers to a 114-110 upset of the seventh-seeded Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix looked to be heading into a first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs after moving into an eight-point lead with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
But a dazzling late burst of scoring from Portland, who went on a 17-5 run to close the game, means the Suns must now play either the Golden State Warriors or Los Angeles Clippers in the final round of the play-in to advance to the playoffs.
Avdija was backed by 21 points from Jrue Holiday, while Jerami Grant added 16 points from the bench.
Jalen Green led Phoenix with 35 points while Devin Booker finished with 22 points.
Late goals from Luis Diaz and Michael Olise meant Bayern Munich finally got the better of Real Madrid in another enthralling game Wednesday to march into the Champions League semifinals.
Real’s Arda Güler scored twice, but Bayern won 6-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinal after a 4-3 second-leg victory in Munich that will live long in the memory. They face holders Paris Saint-Germain in the last four in late April and early May.
A terrible first-minute kick-out by Manuel Neuer, who was superb in a thrilling first leg, allowed Real’s Güler to fire into an empty net from 25 meters for his maiden Champions League goal.
It was a quick and sudden blow for six-time champions Bayern, who had dominated for long spells while winning 2-1 in Madrid last week.
But the home side soon leveled to lead the tie again, Real keeper Andriy Lunin this time at fault as Aleksandar Pavlovic headed in a corner while standing on the line.
Güler then bent in a free kick just before the half-hour mark, with Neuer arguably exposed again before Harry Kane scored with aplomb to put Bayern back ahead.
Kylian Mbappe netted his 15th goal of the Champions League season from Vinicius Junior’s slick pass before the break to leave the game poised for extra time. Bayern appealed for a foul early in the build-up, but were waved away.
The drama slowed slightly in the second half, but a second booking for Real substitute Eduardo Camavinga late in the half boosted the hosts.
Colombia’s Diaz then struck on 89 minutes and Olise in stoppage time as Bayern ended a run of four successive defeats against the 15-time record champions in knock-out ties in the elite European event.
The last Bayern home win against Real was in the 2012 semifinals when the Bavarians ultimately also progressed.
Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich told DAZN: “A lot of drama. We didn’t start like we hoped. But we knew at halftime, the longer the game went, the better it was to our advantage. It was worth watching to the end. I hope the kids in Germany were allowed to stay up.”
Tom Bischof joined fellow young star Lennart Karl in missing the game due to a calf injury as Bayern named the same team from the first leg.
Kane started having rested his ankle in the weekend’s 5-0 win at St. Pauli, which took them within four points of the Bundesliga title.
Jude Bellingham was one of four changes to Real’s line-up compared to the first leg and Los Blancos, a distant second in La Liga, looked a different proposition to the tentative team from the Bernabeu leg.
They were helped initially by 40-year-old Neuer, who is considering retiring at the end of the season.
A madcap first-half was a joy to watch for neutrals and Neuer denied Mbappe early in a calmer second period, which saw Jamal Musiala enter the fray on the hour. It was his back-heel that allowed Diaz the space to fire home via a slight deflection from just outside the box.
Olise, again immense, added the cherry on top of the cake and there was even time for Güler to be sent off later in injury time.
Arsenal through
Arsenal will meet Atletico Madrid in the semifinals after a nervous 0-0 home draw with Sporting sealed a 1-0 aggregate victory.
The Gunners have seen their hopes of a quadruple fall apart in recent weeks after losing the League Cup final to Manchester City and then being dumped out of the FA Cup by second-tier Southampton.
They still top the Premier League but visit City on Sunday knowing a defeat will leave the title out of their hands.
Both sides hit the post through Geny Catamo and Leandro Trossard, but it was Kai Havertz’s late goal in last week’s first leg in Lisbon that made the difference.
The 2006 runners-up reached their second straight Champions League semi-final, having lost to PSG last term.
Midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports: “I’m delighted. I’m so, so happy. We now want to go one step forward than last season and get to the final.”
Atletico Madrid survived a fierce Barcelona fightback and defending champion Paris Saint-Germain eliminated Liverpool on Tuesday to reach the Champions League semifinals.
Barca headed to Atletico 2-0 down from the quarterfinal first leg, yet early goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres gave them hope of a memorable comeback against their Spanish rivals.
But Ademola Lookman’s finish later in the first half handed the hosts a 3-2 aggregate lead and a red card for Eric Garcia after a professional foul on 79 minutes effectively ended Barcelona’s dream.
“We’re absolutely delighted. Barcelona are such a top-class side. We put in a brilliant performance over there and the team managed to bounce back today,” said Atletico captain Koke, whose side eliminated the Catalans in a Champions League quarterfinal for the third time.
Atleti have never won Europe’s top club prize but the 1974, 2014 and 2016 runners-up are back in the semifinals for the first time since 2017 after edging the five-time champions.
Diego Simeone’s side next face Arsenal or Sporting, who play their second leg Wednesday.
Ousmane Dembele scored twice as PSG won 2-0 in rainy north-west England and 4-0 on aggregate to seal a meeting with Bayern Munich or record winners Real Madrid in late April and early May.
“It’s the little things that make the difference in a match. We managed to stay strong and defended well,” PSG skipper Marquinhos, who made a last-ditch tackle to deny Virgil van Dijk, told Canal+.
PSG won their first Champions League title last term after ditching the idea of collecting world stars and instead building a young team.
The plan has continued to pay dividends this season and a 2-0 win at the Parc des Princes last week set them up perfectly to deal with Tuesday’s Anfield second-leg cauldron, where they also progressed last season in the last 16.
Liverpool’s luck was summed up by Hugo Ekitike going off with a serious-looking injury as Mo Salah came off the bench. Fellow injury-prone big signing Alexander Isak was hooked at the break.
The hosts were awarded a penalty for a foul on Alexis Mac Allister in the second half, but it was overturned on video review as replays suggested the Argentina man had only slipped.
World player of the year Dembele scored from the edge of the area soon afterwards and added another on the counter in stoppage time.
Liverpool, fifth domestically, have this term been a shadow of the side that romped to the Premier League crown last season.
“We lost, but we have to build from that and realize how good we can be,” Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté told Prime Video.
Spanish league leaders Barcelona were stunned at the Nou Camp by Atleti in last week’s first leg and went to Madrid with their youngest team in a Champions League knock-out clash.
The average age was 24 years and 347 days and the youngest, 18-year-old Yamal, had a good chance early on before netting after just four minutes to silence an otherwise bouncing Metropolitano.
The home defense was all at sea as Torres played in the Spain star, who had blocked ex-Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet’s backpass.
It was 2-0 some 20 minutes later when Dani Olmo assisted Torres for a superb finish. Fermin Lopez then spurned a top chance for 3-0.
It was costly as Lookman converted Marcos Llorente’s whipped cross to put the hosts ahead again in the tie after a breathless half an hour.
Opportunities came and went at both ends in the second half, with Lookman firing wide and Torres having a goal ruled out for offside.
Hansi Flick’s team kept pushing, with Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford brought on, but they could not find the goal to force extra time after Garcia’s red following a protracted review.
“We’re disappointed. We had plenty of chances. We had the chance to make it 3-0, but in the end we conceded that key goal,” the German boss said. “We weren’t very lucky. That’s just how it went.”
Turkish rising star Zeynep Sönmez delivered the biggest win of her career Wednesday, defeating world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini in straight sets at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, to advance to the second round of the WTA 500 tournament.
Sönmez, 24, overwhelmed the Italian 6-2, 6-2 on the clay courts in Stuttgart, Germany, producing a commanding display that marked the biggest victory of her career and propelled her to a career-high No. 67 in the live WTA rankings.
The result places her alongside Çağla Büyükakçay, who defeated Jelena Ostapenko during the 2018 Fed Cup, as the only Turkish woman to have beaten a Top 10 player.
From the outset, Sönmez dictated play with authority, dominating not only the scoreline but nearly every statistical category. She saved the only break point she faced and held serve throughout the match, while breaking Paolini four times to dismantle her opponent’s rhythm.
Her efficiency on serve proved particularly decisive. Sönmez won 73.3% of points behind her second serve and posted a 64.1% success rate on her first serve, according to Eurosport.
She also capitalized on Paolini’s vulnerabilities, winning 62.5% of return points on the Italian’s second serve. Overall, she claimed 64 of 110 points played, finishing with a 58.2% total point-winning rate.
The performance underscored her growing confidence on clay, a surface that demands tactical discipline and patience – qualities Sönmez displayed throughout the match.
“First of all, it was a pleasure sharing the court with Jasmine; she’s a fantastic player and I really enjoy playing against her,” Sönmez said after the match. “This win is the biggest of my career, so I’m very happy. I felt great on the court; our training sessions went very well.”
She credited her preparation and adaptability for the result, adding: “I was trying to get used to the clay court, and having played two qualifying matches here helped me a lot in adapting to the courts. We had a clear plan, and I executed it perfectly. I’m very happy to have won.”
Sönmez’s run in Stuttgart began in the qualifying rounds, where she advanced without dropping a set, building momentum that carried into her main-draw breakthrough. Her ability to transition from qualifying to defeating a Top 10 seed highlights her rapid development on the WTA Tour.
Beyond the milestone victory, Sönmez acknowledged the growing recognition she has begun to experience off the court as her profile rises.
“I haven’t been able to go home much lately because I’ve been traveling a lot, but sometimes people recognize me in the supermarket when I return,” she said. “It’s crazy for me because I’m not used to it, but it’s a great feeling when people ask for photos or autographs.”
For Paolini, the defeat marked a disappointing early exit. The Italian struggled to counter Sönmez’s aggressive baseline play and was unable to generate sustained pressure, particularly on return games.
Sönmez now advances to face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, the world No. 25 and a former U.S. Open finalist, in the second round. The match is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, with a tentative start time of 1:30 p.m. local time, depending on the progression of earlier matches.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is one of the premier clay-court events on the WTA calendar and serves as a key lead-up to Roland Garros. A deep run in Stuttgart would further boost Sönmez’s ranking and strengthen her position heading into the European clay season.
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