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We here at The18 have already written about the trials that the USMNT will go through regarding weather and travel at this year's World Cup. However, in the past weeks the Brazilan player’s federation, also known as Fenapaf, filed a lawsuit to change kickoff times of 24 matches scheduled to start at 1 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET). While this may have offered the USMNT some reprieve from the heat, it looks like FIFA has still ruled out changing any of the kickoff times.
It will be winter during the World Cup in Brazil, but that doesn’t eliminate heat or humidity in the 12 host cities, especially in the more northern cities such as Manaus, Fortaleza, Natal and Recife. In June 2013, Spain's Sergio Busquets noted that, "Playing [in Recife] at 4 p.m. was inhuman." The average temperature in June amongst the cities ranges from 21°-29° Celsius (70°-84° Fahrenheit). As I write this, it’s 84° degrees in Rio de Janeiro with 45% humidity. A list of the stadium-specific information can be found here.
Neymar Jr hydrates during last years Confederation Cup. FIFA said cooling breaks would be considered on a match to match basis. (Photo: twitter:@bigstory)
While humidity will be the killer in Brazil, temperatures won't even be close to the possible temperatures for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. FIFA president Sepp Blatter came out last week and said that it was a mistake to award Qatar the World Cup because of the sizzling summer climate, which could move the tournament to winter.
Even though FIFA has ruled out any predetermined changes to match times, they have stated that "cooling breaks" will be implemented on an as-needed basis during World Cup 2014.
"FIFA's medical team is always monitoring carefully all venues during any FIFA competition to protect the players' health," football's governing body said in a statement. "Cooling breaks will be considered on a match-by-match basis for the 64 matches. Official and mandatory cooling breaks will not be pre-established. Rather, climate conditions will be evaluated prior to each match by the FIFA venue medical officer."
Fair enough, but Fernapaf isn’t having it. Based on local labor regulations and a study from Brazilian sports doctor Turibio Leite, they say there must be bigger changes made.
"We have been trying to discuss this with FIFA for nearly two years and they won't even sit down to talk to us," federation president Rinaldo Martorelli told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "The only alternative was to seek legal action. We really hope that they make the changes in kickoff times, but if that doesn't happen, they need to at least make the cooling breaks mandatory."
FIFA said determining match schedules is a complex process, that highlights player safety as the most important, followed by travel logistics and the global television market.
At a minimum, it doesn't seem likely FIFA will be too hesitant in granting the two-minute per half water breaks. FIFA officially approved referees to implement cooling breaks in 2013 if needed.
