Getting to the World Cup kick-off

All sporting events tend to bring surprises and even shocks. In the case of the 2022 World Cup, however, the first shock came when the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) awarded the event to the country it said had made the best pitch to host the event—Qatar.

Qatar’s location in the Middle East meant that choosing it for the World Cup opened it up to immediate criticism. In the summer, the temperature can reach 36°C (96.8°F) at midday; in winter the lowest average temperature is around 17°C.

The temperature issue is important. In a sport as energetic and fast as football can be, the health of the players can be badly affected by adverse conditions, such as if it’s too hot—which can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, heat exhaustion and other conditions.

“Inevitably questions are being asked about the health impact for football players of such high temperatures,” says Tim Prifti, head of accident & health at Tokio Marine Kiln.

“From an insurer’s perspective, we see little additional risks for players in a Qatar-held World Cup compared to the tournament being anywhere else. Football teams have small armies of medical staff, nutritionists and other health professionals nowadays so the players will be very well taken care of. The impact of heat will be assessed and dealt with accordingly.”