Spain chase 2026 World Cup: how to watch the final without risking your heart

Spanish cardiologist José Abellán explains how World Cup 2026 final stress can raise heart risk and which three heart attack symptoms fans must never ignore. Spain are one game away from touching glory. But while millions of fans will watch the World Cup final with their hearts in their mouths, cardiologists are issuing a warning: that tension can have consequences for some people. Scientific evidence shows that high-intensity matches can increase the risk of heart attacks, arrhythmias and other cardiovascular events among those who already have heart disease or risk factors. And it is not just a theory. One of the landmark studies, published after the 2006 World Cup in Germany in 'The New England Journal of Medicine', found that during the matches of the German national team cardiovascular emergencies multiplied by 2.7. Two decades later, research by Bielefeld University, published this year in 'Scientific Reports', again confirmed that top-level football sends heart rate soaring and stress levels rising even in fans who simply watch the match from the sofa. When the body experiences the match as a threat According to Spanish cardiologist José Abellán, the body responds to a World Cup final in the same way as it would to a dangerous situation. "It is an exciting and stressful situation. There is a release of hormones that activate us, stress hormones; surges of cortisol and catecholamines are released... and this puts us in a state of stress." That hormonal surge raises blood pressure, accelerates the pulse and promotes the formation of clots. In most people it does not cause any problem, but it can become the trigger for a cardiovascular event when the heart is already weakened. "If my cardiovascular health is optimal or good, nothing is going to happen to me. But there is no doubt that a stressful event for someone whose cardiovascular health is compromised can act as that trigger." Who should take extra care The greatest risk is for those who have already suffered a heart attack, have stents, suffer from hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol or a history of arrhythmias. But Dr Abellán insists that the problem is not just the match itself. "What you need to look after is everything around the match. These are days of national jubilation when it is not just the game, but I watch it after a big feast, with junk food, with alcohol or with other drugs." In fact, the cardiologist recalls that there is even a syndrome known as 'Holiday Heart' or 'party heart syndrome', linked to arrhythmias after excessive alcohol consumption. It is a disturbance of heart rhythm, usually atrial fibrillation, which can appear after high alcohol intake, something common at weekends, celebrations or major sporting events. If that excess is combined with the emotional stress of a final, the risk can increase, especially in people with a cardiovascular history. When to worry Feeling your heart racing during a final can be normal. What should not be put down solely to nerves is a crushing pain in the chest, sudden shortness of breath or palpitations that persist even once the excitement of the moment has passed. "The third symptom, and I would say the most important, is oppressive chest pain. If I suddenly feel as if I have a slab here that goes to my shoulder, to my neck, to my back, and it comes with sweating... well, that is not from nerves," the doctor says. And the specialist’s advice leaves no room for doubt: "If you have any of these three symptoms, get it checked, get it checked." Enjoy the match, but use your head The good news is that football, on its own, does not cause heart attacks. The real risk appears when a pre-existing cardiovascular disease is combined with a mix of intense stress, alcohol, heavy meals, tobacco or lack of rest. That is why Abellán’s advice is simple: experience the match for what it is, a sporting spectacle. "They should understand that it is sport, it is a competition... watch it calmly, with family and with friends. And food, alcohol, all that, we should consume in moderation," he concludes. Because we all want to suffer with Spain for 90 minutes. But the best ending will be to celebrate, if it comes, the second star... with our hearts intact.