Sweden’s men’s national team has been preparing for the test it will face Tuesday since well before The Blue and Yellow arrived in the U.S.—not only a showdown with current World Cup favorite France, but also a match played in temperatures that could surpass 90 degrees (32.2 degrees Celsius) by kickoff.
Outside Stockholm, players trained in a climate-controlled room and were sent to the sauna afterward, preparing their bodies for hot and humid conditions, according to Scientific American. Some reportedly did cardio sessions in spaces set to 100 degrees. The country picked a base camp in Frisco, Texas, targeting a climate that over time can trigger physiological changes, including expanded sweat glands and improved blood circulation.
On Tuesday the team—which includes nine specialists across medicine, performance and psychology—could have an array of ice bags, cold towels, freezing vests and even cooling overshoes at their disposal.
Much has been made of this World Cup’s mandatory commercial—sorry, hydration—breaks, which have paused action, even during indoor or rain-soaked matches. This week, fans might be too hot to boo the interruptions.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 90 degrees in New Jersey, Toronto, Miami, Kansas City and Philadelphia ahead of open-air matches in each location. Whichever teams keep the coolest, relying on a rapidly expanding set of scientific findings and new-age tech, could find themselves surviving the matches.
