Colombia’s James Rodriguez Hospitalized Amid World Cup Heat Fears

The 34-year-old has not played more than 26 minutes in a single match with Minnesota United.

James Rodríguez played over an hour in both of Colombia’s March friendlies. | Miguel J. Rodriguez CARRILLO/AFP/Getty Images

James Rodríguez was admitted to hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with severe dehydration following Colombia’s friendly with France, the Colombian Football Federation announced on Thursday. 

The 34-year-old did not show symptoms until returning to Minnesota, but hadn’t played more than 26 minutes in any kind of match since a Nov. 19 international friendly between Colombia and Australia. For Minnesota United, whom Rodríguez joined on a contract running until at least the 2026 World Cup, he has made two appearances comprising of just 13 minutes and 26 minutes each.

Against France, Rodríguez played 63 minutes of action—the same amount time he’d played days earlier in Colombia’s 2–1 defeat to Croatia in Orlando, Florida.

“It has been confirmed, after establishing communication with a medical center in the State of Minnesota, that the midfielder has been under professional observation due to a non-sports-related medical condition,” the federation said in a statement.

“The day after the match against France, the player presented with severe dehydration that required hospitalization for the past 72 hours for preventative and recovery monitoring.”

Así fue el momento en el que James abandonó el campo ayer: pic.twitter.com/yWSJM19DvJ

— Juan Camilo Merlano (@JuanCMerlano) March 30, 2026

According to The Athletic, Rodríguez has since returned to his residence in Minneapolis, where he is resting and recovering. All signs point to him being unlikely to feature in Minnesota’s Saturday night clash against Marco Reus’s LA Galaxy. 

“It is important to clarify that this situation is not related to musculoskeletal injuries nor is it linked to the development of his football activities,” the Colombian Federation’s statement continued. “Fortunately, the current medical report indicates a favorable evolution and a steady improvement.”

While his fitness for the World Cup is unknown, Colombia’s Group K campaign will see them face Uzbekistan, DR Congo and Portugal, with hopes of an extended run into the knockout stages.

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Heat Concerns As World Cup Nears

Vancouver’s BC Place is among the covered stadiums at the 2026 World Cup. | Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty Images

With two friendlies in March and dehydration issues arising, concerns continue for the heat set to challenge players, staff and fans at the 2026 World Cup, taking place across 16 cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

At the 2025 Club World Cup, Borussia Dortmund’s substitutes watched the first half of a match in Cincinnati from the locker room as temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). 

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández, expected to be at the World Cup with Argentina, called the heat “very dangerous,” and added that he got “a little dizzy” during the final against Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium, which will host the 2026 World Cup final. 

Borussia Dortmund’s bench watched a Club World Cup match from inside the locker room due to heat in Cincinnati. | Borussia Dortmund

In an effort to combat the heat, FIFA is mandating a three-minute hydration break in the middle of each half—which will also be used to show advertisements—and several stadiums include roofs or partial air conditioning, including those in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver.

England manager Thomas Tuchel told BBC Sport ahead of the World Cup draw in December that the thought of having his substitutes watch the match inside had crossed his mind.

“If this is what helps us later in matches when they come on, we have to consider it a possibility,” Tuchel said. “Nobody likes it because I want the players to be out there to feel the energy and give us energy from the bench on to the field...But I saw players doing this at the Club World Cup. Hopefully, we can avoid it.”

The World Cup is set to kick off on June 11 in Mexico City, before games in the U.S. and Canada get underway on June 12, leading up to the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.

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