England manager Thomas Tuchel says he may have his substitutes stay in the dressing room during matches at the World Cup next summer because of the risks posed by high temperatures.
Speaking on the eve of the World Cup draw in Washington DC, Tuchel told BBC sports editor Dan Roan: “If this is what helps us later in matches when they come on, we have to consider it a possibility.
“Nobody likes it because I want the players to be out there to feel the energy and give us energy from the bench on to the field.
“But I saw players doing this at the Club World Cup. Hopefully we can avoid it. It’s always better when they can be with us outside.”
With the tournament taking place across the US, Canada and Mexico in June and July 2026, experts warn that high temperatures, wildfires and even hurricanes could affect teams, fans and stadium workers.
The recent Pitches in Peril report – compiled by pressure groups Football for the Future and Common Goal – found that 10 of the 16 venues for the World Cup are at “very high risk of experiencing extreme heat stress conditions.”
The scheduling of last June and July’s Club World Cup drew complaints from players and managers as matches took place in extreme heat.
“It’s an issue for high-level football – it will reduce the intensity of the matches,” Tuchel said of the impact the heat will have.
“It will reduce the amount of intensive runs, offensively and defensively. The match and the plan will naturally adapt. You cannot play the same football in 45C than in 21C.
“We need to adapt and prepare the players as good as possible. We need to adapt to the heat, to cooling systems, and we’re on it. We’ve put a lot of effort into it, and we will be ready when the tournament starts.”
On scheduling headaches and the need to travel large distances between venues, Tuchel said: “We have to be prepared to accept difficulties. It will be hot, it will be humid, it will be a lot of travelling, it will be a lot of delays – there can be delays with the thunderstorms.
“So I think it’s more about the mindset than having a solution to everything before it happens.”