The 2026 World Cup across North America faces dual health threats from extreme weather and infectious diseases. Worsened by climate change, heat and humidity pose a significant risk, with 14 of 16 host cities projected to exceed unsafe levels for players. In response to disease risks like measles, officials are deploying advanced wastewater surveillance that can detect viruses days before symptoms appear, alongside border controls for Ebola.
World Cup infectious disease surveillance
- ▪Georgetown University's Center for Global Health Science and Security is leading new disease surveillance efforts for all North American host sites
- ▪Public health officials in host cities across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico are increasing surveillance for infectious diseases and other health hazards
- ▪More than 6.5 million fans are expected to travel for the 39-day event, boosting the risk of rapid disease spread
Measles outbreak risk
- ▪The measles virus has resurged in parts of Mexico and Canada, with recent cases reported in Alberta and Manitoba
- ▪The spread of measles is a particular concern, as U.S. case numbers in 2026 are approaching a record of about 2,000
Wastewater monitoring technology
- ▪Host cities Toronto and Vancouver are using wastewater testing to monitor for respiratory viruses, norovirus, measles, and mpox
- ▪Wastewater surveillance can provide an early warning by detecting the measles virus five to seven days before a patient presents with symptoms
Ebola border screening measures
- ▪Health officials state that Ebola poses a "very low risk to the general public" in North America
- ▪In response, Canada has implemented border-screening measures and suspended some immigration documents for residents of the D.R.C., Uganda, and South Sudan
- ▪The World Health Organization has declared an outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency
Food safety vendor registration
- ▪Toronto has created a new food vendor portal requiring registration for stallholders at fan sites to prevent foodborne illnesses
- ▪This measure was prompted by a 2013 incident where a "cronut burger" at the Canadian National Exhibition sickened at least 150 people
Heat-related health risks
- ▪A quarter of the tournament's 104 matches are likely to be played in conditions that risk heat stress
- ▪Several stadiums, including those in Houston and Dallas, have retractable roofs and air-conditioning to mitigate heat risks for players and fans
- ▪Thunderstorms pose a risk in the central, eastern, and south-eastern U.S., with safety rules requiring play to be suspended when lightning is recorded within 8 miles
- ▪Since the last North American World Cup in 1994, the world has warmed by roughly 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit, tripling the average frequency of extreme heat in host cities
- ▪A 2025 study projected 14 of 16 host cities will exceed a wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 28C, a level many physiologists consider unsafe for high-exertion play
- ▪FIFA's threshold for considering action on heat stress is a WBGT of 32C; a group of scientists called the guidelines "insufficient" and "impossible to justify."
- ▪Mexico City's high altitude of 2,240 meters reduces oxygen availability, which can accelerate player fatigue and alter the flight of the ball
- ▪The 2026 World Cup, held across North America in June and July, faces significant health risks from extreme heat, humidity, and severe weather
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