Benfica’s Match-Winner Schjelderup Claims CWC Football Conditions Are ‘Unhealthy’

Norwegian international Andreas Schjelderup expressed concern over the “unhealthy” playing conditions during the Club World Cup on Tuesday night, following his decisive goal in Benfica’s victory against Bayern Munich.

Schjelderup, a former player for FC Nordsjaelland, netted the only goal that led Benfica to a 1-0 triumph over the German giants. However, it was the oppressive heat that dominated discussions in his post-match interview.

Reports indicated that temperatures may have soared to 40 degrees Celsius during the match, prompting Schjelderup to critique the unfavourable conditions.

“I’ve never experienced such heat in a game before, and to be honest, I don’t believe it’s healthy. Still, I managed to keep going, as did the rest of the team, and we’re absolutely thrilled. It’s sweltering, and it’s the same for everyone, but we had to push through. I think we coped quite well today,” he told Portuguese outlet “A Bola”.

The intense heatwave affecting large areas of the eastern United States has placed adaptation strategies at the forefront for coaches and players alike.

A recent report in the International Journal of Biometeorology raised alarms about the dangers posed by extreme heat during the tournament, linking climate change to an increase in both frequency and severity of “extreme heat” episodes.

The study noted that 14 of the 16 cities hosting the upcoming 2026 World Cup frequently experience temperatures that surpass the established safe limits for wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT)—a common metric for assessing heat stress.

It recommended scheduling matches outside the peak afternoon hours to mitigate the harsher conditions.

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