Heatwave warning in France: red alert for 35 million people on Monday

The public screening of the Spain v Saudi Arabia match at the World Cup has been cancelled in Madrid due to the extremely high temperatures forecast for the capital. This was announced by the authorities.

The match, which was due to kick off at 6 pm, was to have been shown on a giant screen set up by the Spanish Football Federation at Plaza de Colón, in the centre of Madrid. The City Council and the Federation decided to cancel the screening after the national weather agency, Aemet, issued an orange heat alert – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees.

“The decision was taken with the aim of protecting the health of participants, event staff and the support services involved,” reads a statement from Madrid City Council, which apologised for the inconvenience caused. The authorities have urged fans to watch the match indoors, in air-conditioned venues, and to avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.

Rome, 21 June (Adnkronos) – Around 35 million people live in the 49 departments that will be placed on red alert tomorrow due to extreme heat, according to a tally carried out by AFP based on population estimates and the latest bulletin from Météo-France. More than 90 per cent of the French population will be affected by an orange or red alert. According to INSEE data updated as of 1 January 2026, 3.85 million people aged 75 or over live in the departments under a red alert. A total of 63.46 million people will be affected by an orange or red alert across 89 departments, in the midst of a heatwave that the government has described as “particularly intense and particularly early”. The Green Party has taken action, launching a petition calling for the introduction of climate leave of up to five days a year, with the aim in particular of protecting those most vulnerable to the effects of high temperatures. Meanwhile, 845 schools and colleges will remain closed due to the heatwave, whilst a further 1,800 schools will adjust their timetables, allowing pupils to leave in the early afternoon. The SNCF is advising ‘vulnerable’ people to avoid travelling by train. The chief executive, Jean Castex, urged the most ‘vulnerable’ travellers on Sunday to “avoid travelling by train” during the heatwave, stressing that it is not possible to “rule out incidents” on the rail network.

The astronomical calendar marks the official start of the summer season, but the weather has decided to kick things off in style, bringing an exceptional barometric pattern to Italia. The solstice coincides, in fact, with the peak of a powerful heatwave that is sweeping across the whole country, causing widespread discomfort and temperatures that are set to remain among the highest of the entire season.