EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - MAY 01: A general view of MetLife Stadium ahead of the 2026 World Cup at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11 and runs through July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The soccer tournament will feature 48 national teams playing 104 games in 16 cities across three countries — Canada, Mexico and the United States. Millions of fans are flying in from every corner of the globe.
From the perspective of an emergency physician, mass gatherings like the World Cup present a special category of challenge, especially when extreme weather and summer heat may affect players and fans.
Most people arrive healthy and leave fine. Yet every tournament generates a predictable set of emergencies. And this World Cup, given its unprecedented scale, deserves more attention than many fans are likely giving it.
Here are four health tips for fans to safely enjoy the World Cup.
