Norway midfielder Morten Thorsby added his name to a petition urging FIFA to tighten heat safeguards for the 2026 World Cup. The open letter, signed by current and former stars from both men’s and women’s games, warns that temperatures at 14 of the 16 venues could reach unsafe levels. Thorsby, a Cremonese midfielder and climate advocate, argues that player welfare and planetary health are inseparable.

Scientists and medical experts warned last week that FIFA’s cooling breaks may be insufficient. Players demand longer pauses and criteria to postpone games if temperatures soar. FIFA says three‑minute breaks will occur in every half and that stadium selection accounted for climate data. The petition also attacks the body’s $14 bn revenue model and its partnership with oil giant Aramco, urging a cut to fossil‑fuel sponsorship.

Thorsby, who will feature for Norway after the nation’s first World Cup qualification in 28 years, says heat threatens both performance and spectator experience. He argues football loses its value when players cannot compete at peak. With the petition gaining momentum, pressure mounts on FIFA to translate promises into tangible safeguards before the summer heat arrives.