The Club World Cup comes to an end this Sunday at MetLife Stadium, where either Chelsea or PSG will become the first champion of the new-look tournament. They are the last of 32 teams still standing, after a month in which the United States gave a glimpse of what next year’s World Cup could be like.

However, the high temperatures and extreme weather that many American cities experience throughout the summer have raised concerns among players. Specifically, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez spoke out about the situation.

Speaking to the media at the Red Bull Arena prior to the final, Enzo acknowledged that the game is not played the same way in such high temperatures, which puts the spectacle and the physical integrity of the players at risk. The Argentine sent a message to FIFA, in which he asks that the match schedules for the 2026 World Cup be reconsidered.

“The truth is that the heat is incredible. I really don’t know. The other day I got a little dizzy during a play, I had to throw myself on the ground because I was dizzy,” he revealed.

“The truth is that playing in this temperature is very dangerous. Obviously for the spectacle, the people who come to enjoy the stadium. The speed is not the same, everything is very slow and we hope that next year they change the schedule at least so that it is a spectacle so that football continues to be nice and attractive.“

High temperatures common in the US

The 2024 Copa América that Argentina won in the United States was a previous precedent that already warned FIFA about what was coming for this Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup.

Cities like Atlanta, one of the venues where the USMNT played the Conmebol tournament last year, experienced temperatures that reached 100° Fahrenheit at their highest point and close to 95° Fahrenheit during match or training hours. This marked a warning of what the summers would be like with two of the most important tournaments that FIFA carries out on American soil.

The United States, Mexico and Canada will co-host the 2026 World Cup, during which the issue of high temperatures and extreme weather will be a point to consider for FIFA. It’s not just the players, hundreds of thousands of fans will flock to the host nations for the spectacle and they will want to avoid dangerous conditions. It’s not just the heat, thunder and lightening have caused long suspensions of play in a number of matches. For fans and players alike, the matter of weather could have a huge baring on the overall ‘success’ of the tournament.

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