World Cup 2026: England to use palm-cooling devices to combat heat

England players are set to use high-tech palm-cooling devices in the United States to help combat the heat during the World Cup.

The expected hot and humid conditions during the tournament will be a crucial factor with studies showing that at least a third of the games during the World Cup will be played in temperatures higher than 26C.

On Tuesday, temperatures reached 32C during England’s opening training session in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The use of palm-cooling equipment is becoming popular among professional athletes, with Manchester United known to use the technology.

Research shows that cooling the palms can significantly lower core body temperature which can prove vital for in-game recovery and ultimately enhance performance.

It is understood England will use them in training sessions and during the planned water breaks during World Cup matches.

When asked about the importance of acclimatising, Jordan Henderson said that this first week was being used to “build capacity to the conditions”, adding “the warm-up games will be good for that”.

The Brentford midfielder praised the “team behind the team” for the “top level research” that has been done on “cool down and recovery”.

“Hopefully that can give us a little edge when we get into the tournament,” he added.

England play friendly matches against New Zealand on Saturday, 6 June (21:00 BST) and Costa Rica on Wednesday, 10 June (21:00).

Thomas Tuchel’s side start their World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, 17 June (21:00) before playing Ghana on 23 June (21:00) and Panama on 27 June (22:00).