An adaptation blueprint for embedding climate adaptation into major soccer tournament infrastructure, funding and legacy programmes has been launched by the non-profit Football for Future.

The Playable Future Blueprint highlights how climate adaptation can help soccer can protect people and infrastructure to supporting participation and sporting integrity.

The report warns extreme weather is increasingly disrupting where, when and how soccer is being played and placing community clubs and grassroots pitches under disproportionate strain.

It follows the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which took place earlier this summer in North America, which saw hydration breaks introduced for players and several matches delayed due to rain or thunderstorms.

Rising temperatures, extreme heat, flooding, drought, and other climate-related hazards are already affecting football infrastructure, playing conditions, and access to the game in many parts of the world,” the report states.

“Climate resilience must therefore be recognised as an essential consideration in protecting football’s future.”

The report says major sporting tournaments often invest millions in legacy programmes and community infrastructure and proposes embedding climate adaptation into those investments.

By doing this, it adds organisers can create a new model for financing climate adaptation while helping ensure legacy programmes continue delivering community benefits under future climate conditions.

It also proposes three complementary funding pathways – integrating climate resilience into the planning and design of new facilities, embedding climate adaptation into refurbishment and maintenance programmes, and establishing dedicated adaptation funding for grassroots facilities and vulnerable communities.

Football for Future founder and director, Elliot Arthur-Worsop said climate change impacts mean both events like the FIFA World Cup and grassroot soccer events are at risk.

Arthur-Worsop said research conducted for their Pitches in Peril report last year found by 2050 nearly 90% of stadiums (14 of 16) are projected to face extreme heat conditions, unsafe without adaptation, and 11 stadiums will experience unplayable heat.

“The recent men’s World Cup will be the last of its kind without major sort of climate adaptation in the U.S.A,” he told me.

“We've established football is at risk. The next question is what can we do about it? And it seems a lot of people in the industry are not really talking about that question.”

He said the new Playable Future Blueprint framework is a practical guide for tournament organizers and football governing bodies to show how they can incorporate climate adaptation and resilience into legacy plans.

“One of the key policy recommendations of Pitches In Peril for was major sporting tournaments to protect the future of football in the countries where the tournaments are hosted,” he added.

Arthur-Worsop said this includes safeguarding players, fans, and staff, and protecting the long-term value of physical infrastructure, assets and financial investments.

“By investing into climate adaptation and climate resilience, you can actually safeguard and enhance all of football's pre-existing priorities as well,” he told me.

He said the recent FIFA World Cup in North America has definitely shifted the conversation on extreme weather and the visibility of climate impacts on high-profile sports tournaments, with hydration breaks added for the players and matches delayed by extreme weather.

“The climate conversation is well and truly embedded into the World Cup narrative, and I don't think we are going to see that change,” he added.

“But there's a lot of work to be done to shift the conversation from being about extreme weather to its connection with climate change as well.”

Thom Rawson, head of sustainability at Football For Future, said the blueprint gives governing bodies and tournament organisers a practical framework to integrate resilience into legacy programmes, establish dedicated adaptation funding and equip communities to prepare for future climate risks.

“By investing where football begins, we can help keep the game safe, accessible and playable,” he added.