At the 2026 World Cup... Curtains to Protect Players!

Media reports have revealed a step FIFA is preparing to take during one of the upcoming World Cup matches, with blackout curtains set to be used inside AT&T Stadium in Texas in order to reduce the impact of direct sunlight on the pitch during play.

According to media reports, the move comes as part of organizational measures aimed at improving playing conditions in open stadiums hosting tournament matches, especially at times when the sun’s position could affect players’ vision or create visual problems while making passes or taking shots.

The report noted that the stadium’s management had previously refused to use blackout curtains during Dallas Cowboys games in the NFL, despite repeated complaints from players who said they had experienced visual disruption because of sunlight reflecting onto the field at key moments of play.

It explained that FIFA believes the World Cup environment differs in terms of operational standards, prompting it to apply more flexible solutions to ensure fair competition among all national teams, even if that requires the use of technologies or equipment not permanently adopted in local competitions at the same venue.

Reports indicate that this step could open the door to broad debate between organizers and stadium management in the United States, particularly since several venues rely on open architectural designs that allow sunlight to enter at certain times of day, potentially affecting visibility on the field during daytime matches.

Sources pointed out that FIFA has for years sought to reduce any external factors that could affect the course of matches in major tournaments, whether related to lighting, heat, or weather conditions, through organizational and technical solutions gradually adopted in host stadiums.

These developments come as part of the extensive preparations for staging the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with FIFA keen to ensure the highest standards of safety and sporting fairness inside stadiums, in line with the nature of the tournament and its global requirements.