England set for open-air Miami heat - but do Norway hold the edge?

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountHomeNewsSportEarthReelWorklifeTravelCultureFutureMusicTVWeatherSoundsMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportEarthReelWorklifeTravelCultureFutureMusicTVWeatherSoundsClose menu BBC SportMenuHomeWorld CupFootballCricketFormula 1Rugby UTennisGolfCyclingAthleticsMoreA-Z SportsAmerican FootballAthleticsBasketballBoxingCricketCyclingDartsDisability SportFootballFormula 1Gaelic GamesGolfGymnasticsHorse RacingMixed Martial ArtsMotorsportNetballOlympic SportsRugby LeagueRugby UnionSnookerSwimmingTennisFull Sports A-ZMore from SportEnglandScotlandWalesNorthern IrelandNews FeedsHelp & FAQsEnglandMen's Scores & FixturesWorld Cup: Knockout PathEngland set for open-air Miami heat - but do Norway hold the edge?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The roof at the Hard Rock Stadium reduces the airflow and exacerbates the conditions England head into unknown territory at this World Cup when they face Norway in Miami on Saturday - playing in searing temperatures. The Three Lions have been largely shielded from excess heat in North America. Their schedule has included indoor matches in Dallas and Atlanta, and the three they have played outdoors - in Boston, New Jersey and Mexico City - have been in cooler, damper conditions. That changes on Saturday for their quarter-final tie (kick off 22:00 BST), which could be played in conditions the global players' union considers too dangerous for the game to go ahead. Norway have played all but one of their matches outdoors - the exception being their last-32 victory over Ivory Coast in the air-conditioned Dallas Stadium. Their 2-1 victory over Brazil on Sunday was played outside while New Jersey was under a US National Weather Service (NWS) extreme heat warning. The NWS is warning of a "hazardous heat threat", with the chance of heat-related illnesses likely to increase. While air temperatures are likely to sit about 33C (91F), once you add in the humidity, it will feel like about 41C (106F). The NWS put a heat advisory in place for the area on Friday, and experts say it is likely one will be issued covering the weekend too. There is a risk of thunderstorms, especially near the start of the match, and a possibility of showers - but otherwise sunny spells are expected. Global sporting bodies such as Fifa use an index called Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which takes into account temperature, humidity, time and amount of sunshine. In its guidelines for playing in heat, external, players' union Fifpro says a WBGT above 28C should lead to the "delay or postponement of matches" until conditions are safer. Calculations of the WBGT for Miami at about kick-off give the WBGT as 28-30C. To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be played While two of England's group-stage matches were played in the hotter Texas and Georgia climates, they felt the benefit of air-conditioned stadiums, where the temperature is set to a comfortable 21C. The warmest the Three Lions have played in was 25C for the final group game against Panama, but that featured overcast skies. July is Mexico City's wettest month of the year, so when England headed to altitude last Sunday they would have felt at home - 18C and rain. The hot and humid weather in Miami will be a very different challenge. Norway's tournament opener against Iraq, meanwhile, was played under clear skies and in a temperature of 25C. There was rain and cloud during their games against Senegal and France, though they rested most of their first-choice players against Les Bleus. After being indoors against Ivory Coast, Norway experienced oppressive conditions in the victory over Brazil. The temperature in New Jersey hit 31C in the shade, but on the pitch the heat and humidity would have made it feel far hotter. England's initial base when arriving in the United States was, coincidentally, Florida. Thomas Tuchel and his team spent 10 days in the area, playing warm-up games against New Zealand in Tampa and Costa Rica in Orlando. The Three Lions then moved to their tournament facility in Kansas, where daily air temperatures are about 32-34C (90-93F). Dr Lee Taylor from Loughborough University - a leading expert in elite athlete performance and the challenges of heat and altitude - told BBC Sport acclimatisation was crucial. "That is the gold-standard method to protect players' health and performance," said Taylor. "They've been getting those exposures into the players pretty consistently as they had two hot bases. "So we're fairly certain those players are acclimated. They haven't been able to really test that in a game environment, but we're not too concerned because we know they've acquired those physiological adaptations." Norway played their two warm-up matches against Sweden and Morocco in the cooler climes of Oslo and New Jersey respectively. They are based in Greensboro, North Carolina, where they experiencing similar temperatures to the England squad. "Norway have played four pretty warm games, and the one in New Jersey was particularly hot," Taylor said. "I'd probably rather have the scenario that England have evolved through, based on the fatigue the Norway players have acquired." Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, England have used several methods of recovery at their training base in Kansas, including cooling tents Many outdoor World Cup stadiums are open, with no roof or canopy. The Hard Rock Stadium is different, and looks more like a traditional European football ground.

---

Original Source: BBC Sport