3, 2007, match between the Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC, which was played in 3 degrees Fahrenheit.
Despite the extreme cold, the Miami vs. Kansas City game is set to go on as planned. CONCACAF made the decision to reschedule the match from Tuesday to Wednesday due to adverse weather conditions, but now the focus is on player and fan safety. While there are recommendations to cancel matches in temperatures below certain thresholds, there are no official rules in place for cold weather in soccer.
With no room for further postponement on the schedule, the game is expected to proceed as scheduled. The extreme cold is a concern, but the underground heating system at Children’s Mercy Park should make the field playable. The match is the first leg of a two-leg knockout matchup, with the second leg set for next Tuesday.
Ultimately, the decision to play in such cold conditions raises questions about player safety and whether the game should happen at all.
Weather Controversies in Soccer
On February 20, 2018, the Colorado Rapids faced off against Toronto FC in the CONCACAF Champions League in freezing temperatures. The game started at 5 degrees Fahrenheit and dropped to 3 degrees by the end, with a wind chill below -10 degrees.
This frigid matchup was later overshadowed by an even colder game in February 2022 when the U.S. men’s national team took on Honduras in a World Cup qualifier in Minnesota. With a temperature of 2 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff and a wind chill of -14, Honduras had to substitute multiple players due to the extreme cold, leaving their coach shocked.
While snow has been a common issue in soccer matches, like the snow-covered pitch during last year’s Real Salt Lake vs. LAFC game, cold weather games are less common. Teams in cold-weather cities like Colorado have learned to embrace adverse conditions, with the Rapids even subtly responding to Inter Miami’s concerns about playing in Kansas City.
Internationally, games have been postponed due to snow or heavy rain, but rarely because of cold temperatures. In a 2018 Russian Premier League game played in Siberia, teams braved a wind chill of -13 degrees Fahrenheit, just below the threshold for refusing to play based on temperature. Such rules do not apply in CONCACAF.
With the upcoming match between Kansas City and Miami, the decision for players like Messi to participate will be crucial. Balancing health concerns with competitive priorities will be a key factor in determining lineup choices for teams in adverse weather conditions.