World Cup lessons from Club World Cup: Extreme weather, bad traffic, kickoff times, more
Briefly

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup exposed major weather-related challenges that influenced match quality and performance. Temperatures and conditions in various cities, like Philadelphia and Atlanta, showed stark differences in gameplay, necessitating adjustment for upcoming tournaments. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will potentially face similar weather issues, especially in cities with high heat. FIFA must address match scheduling to prevent unfair advantages based on the conditions and to ensure player welfare during the intense summer months.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup highlighted the severe impact of weather on match quality, with players experiencing vastly different conditions in various cities. Bad weather led to fixture pile-ups, particularly seen when Manchester City played in both Philadelphia and Atlanta, which had contrasting temperatures and stadium conditions. The intense heat affected performance, demonstrating that FIFA must carefully schedule matches during the upcoming 2026 World Cup to avoid similar issues and ensure fairness across teams.
The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup will face significant challenges, especially concerning match timing in hot locations like Miami. With temperatures expected to soar above 90 degrees, FIFA must address how to fairly schedule games to avoid overwhelming conditions for players. Teams playing in covered stadiums will have a significant advantage, further complicating the need for a fair playing field. Ensuring that not all games are slated for peak heat will be crucial for maintaining competitive balance.
Read at ESPN.com
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