England get their World Cup campaign underway later today as the Three Lions take on Iran inside the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar at 13:00 on these shores.
Qatar are three hours ahead, so the Group B clash will take place at 16:00 for those who have travelled to the tournament, where the likes of Harry Kane and Declan Rice have already been exposed to intense heat.
How hot will it be when the Three Lions kick off their World Cup opener? Let’s take a look…
What is the temperature in Qatar today for England vs Iran?
Well, England will take on Iran amid scorching 28 degree temperatures, with the humidity levels expected to be around 55% inside the Khalifa International Stadium.
The Three Lions jetted off for Qatar when temperatures in England were in the single digits, so it must be a real shock to the system for the players to be running around in such warm weather.
As documented by HITC Sport last week, Southgate’s 26-man squad could be seen utilising water spraying machines during training sessions in an attempt to keep cool, with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold seen puffing their cheeks out and sticking their face right in front of the handy equipment.
Gareth Southgate must use his England bench wisely
As aforesaid, the England players will not be used to such intensely hot weather during the winter – their bodies simply aren’t familiar with it at this time of the year.
Therefore, it is possible that some members of the Three Lions squad will struggle to perform to the best of their ability in Qatar, so Southgate must keep an eye on those who look as if they’re tiring, and have his substitutes ready to take over.
The 52-year-old has 26 of England’s finest footballers at his disposal, but if he stays too loyal to the same 12 or 13 players, it could end up costing the Three Lions under the beating Qatari sunshine.
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