Efficacy of the FIFA cooling break heat policy during an intermittent treadmill football simulation in hot conditions in trained females
Date
2025
Authors
Brown, H.A.
Chalmers, S.
Topham, T.H.
Clark, B.
Meyer, T.
Jowett, A.
Jay, O.
Périard, J.D.
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Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2025; 28(6):491-497
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Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of the current FIFA cooling break heat policy against alternative cooling configurations in attenuating physiological strain during a football simulation in the heat.
Design: Five randomised counterbalanced experimental trials in 40 °C and 41 % relative humidity (32 °C wet-bulb globe temperature).
Methods: Twelve females (age 25 ± 5 y, V̇O2peak 51 ± 5 mL·kg−1·min−1) completed five 90-min football simulations with different cooling configurations: regular match without cooling breaks (REG), 3-min breaks without cooling (BRKno-cool), 3-min breaks with cooling (BRKcool: current FIFA policy; chilled fluid and ice towel across neck/shoulders), 5-min extended half-time without cooling breaks (ExtHTonly), and 5-min extended half-time with 3-min cooling breaks (ExtHTcool). Rectal (Tre) and skin temperature (Tsk), heart rate, whole-body sweat rate (WBSR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded. Data are presented as means and 95 % confidence intervals [CI].
Results: Final Tre was lower in ExtHTcool (38.4 °C [38.1, 38.7], P < 0.001) than REG (38.7 °C [38.4, 39.0]), ExtHTonly (38.7 °C [38.4, 39.0], P = 0.003) and BRKno-cool (38.7 °C [38.4, 39.0], P = 0.006), whereas it was similar in BRKcool and REG (P = 0.062). Mean heart rate was lower in ExtHTcool than REG (3 beats·min−1 [2, 4], P < 0.001). WBSR was similar across trials (P > 0.133), whilst RPE was lower in ExtHTcool (0.6 [0.3, 0.9], P < 0.001) but not BRKcool (0.2 [− 0.0, 0.5], P = 0.089), than REG.
Conclusions: The FIFA heat policy offers minimal physiological or perceptual benefits to females performing a football simulation in the heat. However, combining the cooling breaks with an extended half-time, which is not currently part of the FIFA heat policy, attenuates thermal and cardiovascular strain.
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Copyright 2025 The Authors (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Access Condition Notes: This is an open access article under the CC BY license