On Monday he endured 39-degree heat in Honiara as the All Whites took on Papua New Guinea. By the end, the trousers were rolled up and jacket well and truly dispensed with.
"It's pretty draining watching games here," he said. "You don't realise it at the time but you just come back after a game and want to go to sleep. It's pretty tough for me but I can't imagine what it's like for players or referees.
"But I have committed myself to the suit, so I can't bail out now."
Warburton, who works for the Ministry of the Environment, describes his relationship with football as "bordering on obsessive". He played Central League for Wellington United as a goalkeeper before his finger was broken by former All Whites midfielder Andy Barron, is a member of Yellow Fever who support the Wellington Phoenix, watches a lot of national league and club football and coaches as well.
"It's my one outlet from other things and takes up a fair chunk of my week," he said. "I'm pretty confident I'm the only travelling supporter and I don't know what that means about me. I don't know if that's a good or a bad sign.
"It's certainly an experience being here. I went to the World Cup in South Africa and that was an eye-opener in terms of the difference between countries. This is that next step. South Africa is a reasonably developed Third World country but this is an actual Third World country.
"The people here have been really nice. They will come and chat to you in the stands and ask you where you are from. They will support the All Whites and try to start some chants. It's been really good."