Uruguay and Saudi Arabia draw amid heat concerns at World Cup opener

Uruguay and Saudi Arabia played to a 1-1 draw in their Group H opener in Miami on June 16, 2026. The match took place under sweltering conditions, with the Miami-Dade area under a heat advisory. FIFA’s heat policy was scrutinized as players faced dangerous heat stress levels, prompting discussions on whether the current 32-degree Celsius wet bulb globe temperature threshold for postponement is sufficient. While FIFA implemented mandatory hydration breaks during the match, concerns remain about player safety amid extreme heat in future games.

• 2:40 AMYahoo Sports — How hot it needs to be for FIFA to postpone World Cup games amid sweltering conditions at Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia