When Brazil and Japan take the field this Monday (29), at 2pm (Brasília time), at the NRG stadium, in Houston, the temperature in the Texas city is expected to be around 33ºC.
But, inside the stadium, it will not be surprising if fans are seen wearing warm clothes or even being cold.
The venue for seven matches in this World Cup, the arena has an advanced air conditioning system, designed to alleviate the heat during the various events that the venue hosts.
With a capacity for 72,200 people — and practically full in the five games it has hosted so far (Germany 7 x 1 Curaçao, Portugal 1 x 1 DR Congo, Netherlands 5 x 1 Sweden, Portugal 5 x 0 Uzbekistan and the 0-0 between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia) —, the stadium also has a retractable roof, which prevents extreme heat or other weather conditions from interfering with the matches.
According to Hussain Naqi, general manager of NRG Park, the complex of which the stadium is part, during games the temperature is between 20ºC and 21ºC, as per FIFA’s decision, which took into account not only the quality of the event but also the care of the pitch.
“There is a lot of research into the ideal conditions to keep your lawn healthy for as long as possible, especially in situations without direct sunlight. There are even artificial lawn lights.
There have been many years of research to define the air humidity and temperature needed for this specific type of grass,” Naqi explained to Sheet.
“It’s a project designed for large audiences, especially at large events. When we receive large crowds, like at a World Cup or important games, the system was designed for that”, he added.
The most important hub in Texas, Houston was a cause for concern for World Cup organizers due to the region’s unpredictable climate. In the first week of games in the city, torrential rain caused by tropical storm Arthur was constant.
In recent days, however, a heat wave and humidity have returned. This Sunday morning (28), Brazil trained at the Shell Energy Stadium, which is close to the stage of the match with the Japanese. The activity started at 10am (local time), with an average temperature of 31ºC.
Home to Houston Dynamo FC (MLS), Houston Dash (NWSL) and the Texas Southern Tigers, from college football, the stadium is much smaller than the NRG, with a capacity for around 22,000 people. Older, it is uncovered and has no system designed to deal with heat.
The transition from one stadium to another caught the attention of journalists, who, around three hours after training, went to the match stage to follow the interviews with coaches Carlo Ancelotti and Hajime Moriyasu and Brazilian defender Marquinhos.
Some took their coats out of their backpacks. Others were surprised by the need to have one available this time of year in Texas.
Despite the cold, according to Hussain Naqi, the stadium usually receives positive reviews for its air conditioning system.
“We have to say that we are very grateful for the extremely positive feedback we have received from fans around the world. We are privileged and humbled to welcome people from over 180 countries. Many come from places with very different climates,” he said. “Players and fans have reported great comfort inside the stadium, even with the heat outside.”
This is not the first time that the World Cup has been played in places that need to resort to technology to deal with climate issues. In Qatar, in 2022, the stadiums were also equipped with a powerful air conditioning system.
The technology used in the last World Cup was developed together with Qatar University. According to the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the apparatus was powered by solar energy to maintain fans that draw in outside air and cool it.
During the matches, the climate in the spaces where the fans, players and the field were located had average temperatures of 18ºC to 24ºC, very similar to what will be at the stadium in Houston.
