As the final whistle blew at MetLife Stadium with Chelsea lifting the trophy, the 2025 Club World Cup came to a close.
For FIFA, this wasn’t just another competition. It was a large-scale, high-pressure rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With a record 48 teams and 104 matches scheduled, which up from 64 in Qatar 2022.
This year’s expanded Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams across U.S. cities, offered a first-hand glimpse into both the potential and the problems FIFA will face next year.
The Heat Is On!
One of the most urgent lessons was the impact of extreme heat. With temperatures soaring well over 85°F (29°C) and sometimes closer to 104°F (40°C), players, coaches and fans raised valid concerns. Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez called it “very dangerous” to play in, while global players’ union FIFPRO warned that these conditions “cannot be repeated.”
FIFA responded by introducing earlier cooling breaks and planning more climate-controlled venues for 2026. But the broader issue is clear: playing high-intensity football in North American summer heat presents serious health and performance risks.
Pitch Problems and Playing Style
Another pain point was pitch quality. Temporary natural grass surfaces laid over artificial turf were widely criticized. Players, including Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, described fields as dry, uneven, and “tough on the knees.” The poor conditions disrupted possession based play and made consistent ball control difficult.
With many U.S. stadiums primarily designed for American football, FIFA faces a technical and logistical challenge in preparing suitable pitches for the World Cup. The Club World Cup exposed this gap, and pitch managers acknowledged they are now better prepared but the learning curve is steep.
Crowds, Cities and Complex Logistics
While some matches drew large crowds, others were played in front of sparse audiences. Travel across vast U.S. distances, combined with pricing and limited local engagement, impacted attendance. The 2026 World Cup will only magnify these pressures.
Weather-related delays, such as thunderstorms and lightning, also disrupted several matches, an unpredictable but recurring issue in summer tournaments across North America.
A Learning Experience, Not Just a Test
FIFA President Gianni Infantino admitted that criticisms, whether about heat, pitch or planning were valid and necessary. “We need to look at what we can do better,” he said. For 2026, FIFA is taking greater operational control, expanding its physical presence with broadcast centres and field offices, and aiming for more consistent venue quality across the board.
Former U.S. Soccer president Alan Rothenberg perhaps put it best: “There were mistakes early on… but they have now learned their lesson.” With new infrastructure and better-prepared teams on the ground, the road to 2026 is clearer but still demanding.
From Massive to Humongous
Oscar Sanchez, head of host broadcast production, summed up the shift from 2025 to 2026 in one word: scale. “This is massive—but 2026 is humongous.”
Indeed, if 2025 was a dry run, then 2026 will be the real stress test for infrastructure, for climate resilience, for fan experience and for football itself.
The success of the next World Cup will depend not just on learning from these lessons, but on acting on them swiftly and decisively.
