The nowadays concluded Club World Cup in the United States turned into once many issues: a competitive showcase for elite football golf equipment, a probability to search for thrilling matchups, and maybe most crucially a dress rehearsal for what’s going to be the most brave World Cup in history.
With 48 nationwide groups region to compete across three countries, Mexico, Canada, and the US in 2026, FIFA quietly customary the Club World Cup to test its logistics, infrastructure, and target audience engagement.
But whereas the football delivered, the tournament also uncovered deep cracks that would possibly maybe perchance’t be ignored.
So what precisely did the Club World Cup display? What is it the truth is telling us earlier than the world spectacle kicks off in 2026?
The Weather is a threat
If there’s one message the Club World Cup screamed loud and obvious, it’s this: the heat is real, and it’s no longer playing spherical.
For the duration of the tournament, temperatures in cities worship Contemporary York soared to 39°C, with humidity pushing the heat index to over 50°C. It wasn’t exact miserable, it turned into once dangerous.
Gamers struggled, coaches complained, and even sniffer dogs had to attach on Crocs to provide protection to their paws from burning stadium pavements.
Lightning storms brought further chaos, delaying six suits, some by over two hours. For golf equipment worship Chelsea and Benfica, a recreation extend in the 86th minute totally modified the energy and momentum, raising issues about equity and player safety.
“It’s no longer football,” Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca acknowledged bluntly, questioning whether the US is the just appropriate discipline for such tournaments under these weather stipulations.
9 of the 16 cities selected for 2026 are flagged by world player union Fifpro as “very excessive” or “extraordinarily excessive” risk zones for heat stress.
If FIFA doesn’t severely think again kickoff cases or luxuriate in extra indoor venues with roofs, the bodily toll on gamers also can overshadow the football.
Stadium quality varies wildly
The Club World Cup offered a model of what fans and groups would possibly maybe face in 2026: honest venues on one hand, and frustrating logistical nightmares on the other.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta got praise for its futuristic roof and sleek construct. So did Lincoln Financial Discipline in Philadelphia, with its surrounding sports advanced and first fee metro salvage real of entry to. But in other locations? It wasn’t so light.
MetLife Stadium in Contemporary Jersey slated to host the 2026 World Cup final had excessive accessibility issues. Fans had to stride 20-Half-hour under scorching sun from the nearest educate region to their seats. Post-recreation, there had been no taxis or Ubers allowed reach, forcing spectators to stroll even further exact to leave.
At Laborious Rock Stadium in Miami, the lack of within reach public transport meant arriving three hours early turned into once the excellent method to keep a ways off from chaos. Post-match, a curfew shunned automotive pickups reach the stadium, making the whole experience no longer easy for fans.
If FIFA wants to keep a ways off from huge PR disasters in 2026, it must prioritize fan mobility. Offering free transport for ticket holders worship Qatar did in 2022 also can merely be very crucial in a rustic no longer acknowledged for pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
Grass isn’t consistently greener in the USA
Most US stadiums are constructed for American football, no longer world-class football. Which method synthetic surfaces lined by skinny layers of momentary grass. The consequence? Inconsistent jump, sticky passes, and remarkable ball motion.
Gamers didn’t cloak their frustration. Jude Bellingham referred to as out the uncomfortable quality of the pitches, whereas Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac likened some surfaces to “golf greens” that made merely football very no longer seemingly.
Even extra being concerned, some groups had to address drastically a quantity of grass stipulations from one city to another. The lack of uniformity no longer excellent affects performance but additionally increases the risk of damage.
FIFA has promised longer preparation cases for 2026, but it’ll need to enact a ways extra than that if it wants to narrate a football experience great of the World Cup.
Security too intense
With customary US President Donald Trump attending the final, security in the course of the Club World Cup reached reach-defense power stages.
Snipers on rooftops, counter-terrorism squads, bomb-sniffing dogs, and extra than one layers of win assessments created a fortress-worship environment especially at MetLife Stadium.
But even earlier than the final, security turned into once already tight. Armed officers, 2nd-perimeter win assessments, and sniffer dogs modified into the norm at diverse venues, especially in Philadelphia and Orlando.
Whereas safety is paramount especially in today’s local weather, FIFA need to be optimistic heightened security doesn’t reach at the payment of fan experience. Lengthy lines and delays at security checkpoints risk increasing frustration and decreasing accessibility, especially for families, older fans, or folks with disabilities.
Attendance sends combined signals about American soccer custom
Attendance at the Club World Cup turned into once all over the discipline. Whereas the final between Chelsea and PSG attracted over 81,000 fans, some community-stage video games had fewer than 4,000 in the stands.
For context, fewer folks got right here to search for Mamelodi Sundowns play Ulsan HD than assist a minor league baseball recreation.
Timing turned into once a serious issue. Video games scheduled for noon or 3 p.m. on weekdays meant many fans merely couldn’t accomplish it, especially in a rustic the put football peaceful competes with sports worship baseball and American football.
Ticket pricing added insult to damage. Some tickets had been at the delivery sold for over £250, excellent to plunge to £10 just a few days earlier than kickoff. Fans who paid the beefy tag early felt cheated, whereas others peaceful chose to care for dwelling due to excessive charges.
The lesson right here is straightforward, the World Cup isn’t the Tidy Bowl. It wants community engagement, smarter advertising, and fan-friendly pricing especially in a rustic the put the sport is peaceful increasing.
The us’s worship for football is peaceful increasing but it wants abet
Walking into bars and ingesting areas across the host cities, one would possibly maybe query TVs showing football all over the discipline. But extra mainly, it turned into once baseball, basketball, and even golf. Recede, football is increasing in the US, but it’s peaceful no longer entrance and heart for the moderate American sports fan.
Many fans didn’t even know the Club World Cup turned into once occurring. Native journalists acknowledged it outright: FIFA wished to market the tournament better. “Other folks aren’t staying away because they don’t care about soccer,” acknowledged American journalist Doug Roberson.
“They’re staying away because they didn’t even comprehend it mattered.” The takeaway? For the 2026 World Cup to be a hit in the US, it has to the truth is feel worship a cultural occasion—no longer exact a carrying one.
What we ought to peaceful repeat
The Club World Cup wasn’t a failurem but it wasn’t a flawless triumph either. It turned into once a replicate, showing FIFA the beefy characterize of what’s to reach if merely planning doesn’t happen.
From weather to transport, from pitch quality to public consciousness, the tournament uncovered the stress aspects that would possibly maybe perchance well also either accomplish or spoil the 2026 World Cup.
This wasn’t exact about club football, it turned into once a warning shot. An actual-time, real-world test that FIFA would be wise no longer to ignore. On legend of reach 2026, there gained’t be room for excuses. Will FIFA be ready?
