One Step Further: Integrating Evidence-Based Guidelines into Practice to Address Environmental Challenges at the Men’s 2026 FIFA World Cup

Abstract The Men’s 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup (Canada, Mexico and the USA) will expose teams to an unprecedented combination of environmental challenges (heat, altitude, air pollution, allergens and travel). Conditions will vary significantly between host cities, creating a significant threat to player health and performance. These unique stressors may require teams to adopt and adapt strategies to best protect player health and performance. A related open access Sports Medicine review outlines these environmental challenges and the evidence-based guidelines to prepare for and mitigate their effects. Motivation for the present review stems from the unique practical and logistical complexities of ‘tournament football’—especially at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup—alongside the limitations of previous football-facing reviews, where ‘evidence-informed practice’ is often not underpinned by football-specific research and thus limits external/ecological validity. Building on the recommendations of the main review, this partner review focuses on integrating those guidelines into practice. It aims to provide teams with a practice-compatible framework to implement evidence-based strategies to protect player health and optimise performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.