2026 FIFA World Cup faces health risks from heat, infectious diseases and food safety, experts say | OneFootball

As millions of soccer fans from around the world prepare to attend this summer’s anticipated FIFA World Cup, government officials and public health experts are closely monitoring potential health risks.

Concerns have been raised about the spread of infectious diseases in crowded stadiums, extreme heat during matches and the challenge of maintaining food safety standards for countless visitors.

“Of course, any time so many people are traveling, there's always the possibility of various outbreaks or whatnot to happen,” Jay Bhattacharya, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said this month. “But the risk is not any different than it is in other World Cups that we've managed properly. And the United States has systems in place to make sure that if something happens that we respond appropriately.”

Scheduled from June 11 to July 19, the quadrennial soccer tournament will be held in 16 host cities across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, where 48 teams will play a record-setting 104 matches. According to FIFA, five million tickets have already been sold.

Here’s a closer look at the potential health risks at and around World Cup venues — and protective measures that fans can take:

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Public health officials and experts have raised concerns about infectious diseases, extreme heat and food safety at this summer's FIFA World Cup (Getty Images)

Influenza, measles and other illnesses

The close proximity of thousands of international fans during matches could increase the risk of infectious disease transmission.

“This has been something that the medical community near the World Cup venues has been preparing for,” Andy Pekosz, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University, told The Independent. He pointed out that there are active infections circulating in other nations.

“The best example is influenza,” Pekosz said, “which is circulating in some countries in the Southern Hemisphere (South America) and so it may be that some influenza infected individuals can get to the US/Canada/Mexico and perhaps spread the infection. However, conditions aren’t really ideal for influenza spread in the US/Canada/Mexico so I wouldn’t imagine a very big outbreak there.”

Measles, on the other hand, is cause for more concern — since it spreads easily and has a lengthy incubation period, he said.

As of May 21, nearly 2,000 measles cases were reported in the U.S. this year, according to the CDC. Since January 2025, there have been 3,564 cases, the largest number in an outbreak in decades, according to Harvard University research, which notes that vaccination rates among kids have declined in recent years.

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Measles could spread at the World Cup this summer, particularly because it has a lengthy incubation period. Pictured: A one-year-old is receives an MMR vaccine in Texas in 2025 (Getty Images)

At the same time, the CDC has said the risk posed to travelers and the broader public by the deadly hantavirus remains “extremely low.”

An outbreak of the rare illness was linked to a Dutch cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, where three people have died and nearly a dozen cases have been confirmed or are suspected. This week, 18 American passengers who were on board returned to the U.S. and are now being quarantined in medical facilities in Nebraska.

The CDC says the strain tied to the outbreak can spread from person to person, though transmission requires close contact with someone showing symptoms.

This week, the CDC also implemented enhanced travel screenings and entry restrictions to prevent Ebola — which officials say is spreading rapidly in the Congo — from entering the U.S. Though officials have said the risk of mass spread from Ebola in the U.S. remains low.

‘Adverse health problems’ from extreme heat

Extreme heat is another risk being closely watched, especially because the tournament will be played in summer, including in several warmer-climate cities.

In Houston and Miami, the average high temperatures in June are in the mid-80s, according to the National Weather Service. Monterrey, Mexico, is even hotter, with June averages in the mid-90s, according to Weather Spark.

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Extreme heat is another risk being monitored — given the matches will take place in the summer and in some warmer-climate cities. Pictured: Fans show their support prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France (Getty Images)

“Heat exposures will likely be sufficiently hot to increase the risk of adverse health problems at many venues,” Christopher Uejio, a Florida State University professor who researches environmental health, told The Independent.

“While some locations will have climate-controlled settings, fans and spectators may still face heat risks from waiting in lines outside of venues,” he continued. “In non-climate-controlled settings, the hot, humid, and sunny conditions may increase heat-related risks, particularly among people with existing health conditions, who are drinking alcohol, and tourists who are not acclimated to local heat levels.”

Uejio said fans should take precautions such as staying hydrated, limiting alcohol intake, using sun protection and seeking a cooler place if they experience cramps, nausea, dizziness or excessive sweating.

Food safety concerns

Another issue being monitored is food safety — at least in several of the U.S. host cities.

Food inspectors in Georgia have been dispatched to restaurants, food trucks and even temporary tents to ensure health standards are being followed.

“We check to make sure they have the proper barrier around the food service area," Brandon Leftwich, the director of environmental health for Fulton County, told CBS News. He added that temperature controls are being enforced in order to prevent the spread of bacteria.

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Food inspectors been dispatched to restaurants, food trucks and even temporary tents to ensure health standards are being followed. Pictured: Participants dressed in soccer uniforms take part in a festival in Indonesia to welcome the upcoming FIFA World Cup (AFP via Getty Images)

“This is the biggest event in Atlanta since the 1996 Olympics,” Leftwich added. “We've been preparing for quite some time now.”

Food inspections in Arlington, Texas — located near Dallas, one of the host cities — have also ramped up in recent weeks, according to WFAA.

There are 250 foodborne illnesses acknowledged by the World Health Organization. Of those, the CDC lists salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Norovirus, Shigella, and Hepatitis A as those most likely to trigger outbreaks.

Riskier foods include raw or undercooked meat, unwashed fruits and vegetables, cut melon and raw dough, according to the CDC.