The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially began last week. The first of eight matches kicked off at Atlanta Stadium on June 15, and will culminate in a semi-final match on July 15.
With 104 total matches spread across 16 North American cities, the 39-day tournament is the longest in World Cup history. This extended timeline during peak summer weather makes proper preparation, nutrition, and hydration protocols critical to staying game-ready, said Oluseun Olufade, M.D., an orthopedic sports medicine doctor part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Medical Network.
According to Olufade, who is also the head team physician for Atlanta United FC, preparing players for games starts long before the first kickoff.
Getting acclimated
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 12.1% of soccer players suffered an acute illness during the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament due to the physical toll of international travel and playing in matches.
“Because teams are coming from different parts of the world, most of them get in about two weeks before the game to get acclimated to the weather and to any jet lag that may occur, as that impacts the immune system,” Olufade said.
Early arrival allows players to synchronize their circadian rhythms, protecting the restorative sleep required for muscle tissue repair and quick reaction times on the pitch.
“High sleep quality has been directly correlated to performance, which is also directly correlated to immune system strength,” explained Olufade.
Fine-tuning fueling and hydration
Soccer is the most physically demanding ball sport, as players run between five and seven miles per 90-minute game, activating both fast-twitch muscles for sprinting and slower-twitch muscles for cardiovascular endurance.
“Players recruit different types of energy, from short sprints to endurance running during a match, so carbs and protein are two essential ways they get fuel and energy,” Olufade said.
He recommends that players eat carbohydrate-rich foods, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and bananas, three to four hours before a match, along with lean proteins, like grilled chicken, and small amounts of healthy fats, like avocado or olive oil.
And the fueling doesn’t stop with pre-game meals.
“At halftime, it’s not unusual for [players] to have things like peanut butter and jelly or energy bars to build on those carb stores,” he added.
Because many of the World Cup matches are taking place in hot, humid climates like Atlanta — and sometimes in open-air stadiums without air conditioning — proper hydration is critical to elite athlete performance. This includes not only drinking water, but consuming enough electrolytes in sports drinks and tablets before, during, and after matches to prevent muscle cramps and to top off energy stores.
To ensure World Cup players are meeting hydration and fueling levels, Olufade and the other medical team professionals perform regular urine and body composition tests to assess fluid and weight loss.
For players crossing several time zones over a multi-week, multi-match tournament, staying healthy during the World Cup has become its own endurance sport. Team physicians like Olufade have become key components for players throughout their World Cup journey.
