Football NSW has an Extreme Heat Policy designed to protect everyone involved in football when temperatures soar across NSW. The policy is based on the Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) Extreme Heat Policy, combining temperature, humidity and heat stress risk to guide decisions about matches, training and other activities.

Hot weather – especially when combined with humidity – increases the risk of heat-related illnesses like dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. The policy helps organisers balance participant safety with maintaining play when conditions are safe.

Football NSW refers clubs and officials to the SMA Extreme Heat Policy Tool, an online resource that calculates the Heat Stress Risk based on local weather conditions, sport type and surface (grass or synthetic). This tool gives real-time risk levels and recommended actions to manage heat stress.

The policy applies to all Football NSW competitions, training, trials and sanctioned activities.

It requires organisers to consider:

• Local temperature and humidity
• Field surface type
• Participant fitness and acclimatisation
• Other environmental factors (radiant heat, indoor ventilation)

The key strategies used to minimise heat related illness include;

• Use the SMA Extreme Heat Tool to check heat stress risk before activities.
• Implement extra hydration and rest breaks during games and training in hot conditions.
• Modify activities based on conditions (e.g., scheduling games later in the day or shortening sessions).
• Cancel or postpone if conditions are unsafe, prioritising participant wellbeing.