With the UK under a red weather warning and England playing Ghana at World Cup 2026 tonight, Hyperoptic, the full-fibre broadband provider to thousands of properties and businesses across Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow, is warning football fans watching from home to check their router before kick-off.
Just like people, routers can be affected by extreme heat and poor ventilation, which can slow things down or make connections less stable, a deadly combination with Hyperoptic research which found that 29% of UK adults with home broadband say buffering during a goal, penalty or key moment would be one of the most frustrating things to happen during a major match.
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Mark Bartlett, COO at Hyperoptic, had this advice for fans: “With the UK now under a red weather warning, most people will be focused on keeping themselves and their families cool. But it’s worth thinking about your router too. If you’re staying indoors to work, stream or watch the football, that box is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
“Routers are like most electronics: they don’t love the heat, especially not when it’s this extreme. If they get too hot, it can affect performance, slow things down or make your connection less stable. This is the last thing you want during a big live moment. Keep yours out of direct sunlight, away from windowsills, radiators and other heat sources and don’t tuck it behind the TV, under books or inside a cupboard. It needs space, so somewhere open, shaded and well-ventilated is best.
So how can we show our routers some love and avoid those dreaded crucial moment buffers as Harry Kane (maybe) bangs another one in?
“If you’re settling in for an evening of football ahead of tonight’s England game, moving your router out of the sun, keeping it uncovered and pausing big downloads are simple steps that can help keep things running smoothly,” said Bartlett.
England v Ghana kicks off in Boston at 9pm (UK) tonight with live coverage on BBC One and iPlayer from 8pm.
