Men's Journal reported on injuries that may become more likely as the World Cup progresses, featuring insight from Riley J. Williams III, MD, Chief of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS and FIFA Venue Medical Officer for the 2026 World Cup.

“The most common injuries in elite soccer involve the lower extremities, particularly the ankle, knee, thigh, and calf,” Dr. Williams said. “Ankle sprains, hamstring strains, and calf strains are among the injuries we see most frequently in professional players. These injuries are largely related to the acceleration, deceleration, cutting, and sprinting demands that are inherent to the sport.”

“During a tournament such as the World Cup, players are exposed to repeated high-intensity efforts, significant physical loads, and substantial psychological pressure. In my opinion, the elevated intensity of competition increases the stress placed on the lower extremities and may contribute to a heightened risk of ACL injury over the course of the tournament,” Dr. Williams explained.

Read the full article at mensjournal.com. This article was also syndicated to AOL.com and Yahoo! Sports.