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Heatstroke, sports washing and VAR psychology: the science of the World Cup

Heatstroke, sports washing and VAR psychology: the science of the World Cup

Science Weekly vor 4 Monaten

It’s just a week until the first whistle of the 2026 World Cup. To mark the occasion, Madeleine Finlay talks to Ian Sample about the science behind the tournament

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It’s just a week until the first whistle of the 2026 World Cup. To
mark the occasion, Madeleine Finlay talks to Ian Sample about the
science behind the tournament. It’s likely to be one of the hottest
ever World Cups, and scientists have written to Fifa asking it to
reconsider its heat mitigations for players and referees. Dr Oliver
Gibson of Brunel University outlines their concerns. Also on the
agenda is the huge fossil-fuel impact of the tournament, and the
effect of VAR on the psychology of referees and fans. Help support
our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod