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Summer tournaments and pre-season friendlies are often played in heat. Hot conditions do not just feel harder; they change how players perform.
- High-intensity running tends to drop in hot matches, and players may pace themselves without realising it
- Heat raises heart rate and perceived effort at the same work rate
- Sweat losses can be large, and losing more than about 2% of body mass is often linked with reduced performance
- Heat acclimatisation, roughly 1-2 weeks of repeated exposure, improves tolerance noticeably
More detail: heat stress in football and heat acclimatisation for football.
What do you change in your preparation when a hot match is coming?
A simple checklist for a hot match day: train at similar times in the week before if possible, weigh players before and after training to estimate sweat losses, plan drinks at every natural break, and use shade and cold towels at half-time. Cold drinks or ice slurry before the match are also used by many teams.
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