US heatwaves take toll on players and fans: All going downhill at the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup

The FIFA Club World Cup in the US has made it into headlines for wrong reasons yet again. (Image credits - TNT via X)

The inaugural FIFA Club World Cup being held in the United States of America has made it into the headlines for the wrong reasons yet again, as players and fans have raised concerns regarding the sultry climate, which puts their health at major risk.

The games scheduled during the afternoon hours have left the footballers and fans gasping from the “furnace-like weather”.

European teams, who are not accustomed to playing in such harsh conditions, have grown frustrated adapting to such adverse playing conditions. As reported, Borussia Dortmund substitutes didn't step out from the dressing room against Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati to escape the blazing sun.

In a similarly concerning incident, Chelsea had to cut short their training session in Philadelphia as the temperature soared to as high as 99 degrees Fahrenheit. The Blues' boss Enzo Maresca spoke out on this issue in a press conference, stating, “It's almost impossible to train a full session because of the weather.” (sic)

Atletico Madrid's midfielder Marcos Llorente also lashed out for experiencing severe discomfort, highlighting that it was “impossible to play” in such harsh conditions, almost burning his toenails.

Adverse to these conditions, lightning and thunderstorms have also been a major cause of concern in this year's edition of the Club World Cup. The match between Boca Juniors and Auckland City had to be delayed due to severe lightning within ten miles of the stadium, with warnings of a possible tornado causing the game to be called off.

The host nation, having already been criticised for generating less fan participation and interest, is facing backlash even for their harsh playing conditions. The fact that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held here next year at this time of the year raises more concerns regarding the execution of such a prestigious tournament in the USA.

Are FIFA more concerned about revenue generation than the sport and players’ well-being?

The whole idea of hosting the Club World Cup in the United States of America was to generate more fan following in a country that does not generate much hype for the game and instil club football culture in the continent.

The North American continent is easy to travel to for most people across the globe, with the idea of attracting even more supporters and reasonably costly ticket prices to capitalise on the usual club friendlies, which would generally take place at this time of the year.

Although it's quite well known that it gets really hot during this time of the year in the USA, FIFA could have managed the situation better.

The games could've been scheduled around 9 PM local time, when the weather cools off quite a bit, but since it's way past midnight in Europe, the particular timings would result in fewer viewers from Europe and Asia, generating huge losses for broadcasters.

Therefore, the games have been scheduled in the afternoon hours to accommodate both Americans and the fans watching the tournament from across the globe, entirely for the sake of more revenue generation.

It isn't the first time that FIFA has been accused of being "greedy". (Image credits - FMT, License Details)

It appears that FIFA has yet again ignored the players’ well-being for the sake of capitalism. Even UEFA capitalised on the international friendlies and launched the UEFA Nations League, and it looks like FIFA has done the same with club friendlies by capitalising it into the FIFA Club World Cup.

There has been an incredible rise in the number of injuries to players in the recent seasons due to harsh playing conditions and increased fixtures, taking a heavy toll on the clubs and even the national teams.

Football star Kevin De Bruyne, who had previously lashed out at UEFA for increasing fixtures by introducing a new, lengthier Champions League format, expressed his concerns regarding the Club World Cup as well, stating, "The real problem will emerge after the Club World Cup." (sic)

He further added, "We know there will be only three weeks between the Club World Cup final and the first Premier League match. So, we have three weeks to rest and prepare for another 80 matches." (sic)

Advantage, South America?!: How are the US weather playing an advantage for Latin American teams in the Club World Cup?

European matches record an average temperature of around 50-60°F during summer, which when compared the average temperature of 90°F in the US, is incredibly lower. However, it is just a regular day in the office for the Latin American and Asian teams, who experience similar or even harsher weather conditions during summer. Therefore, the toll is heavier on European teams.

South American clubs like River Plate, Botafogo, Flamengo, Palmeiras and Boca Juniors have performed exceptionally well against their European counterparts, evidently utilizing this advantage to the full extent.

As per our study, next year's FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place around this time of the year, will could give a huge advantage to CONCACAF and COMNEBOL nations whereas the UEFA recognized nations will need to adapt and prepare accordingly.

Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac has initiated steps to mitigate through such heat conditions and will surely set an example for the rest European teams and nations .

“Our boys are very well taken care of by our doctors and the medical staff.”, said Kovac in a press conference.

He further added, “We have very cold towels. We put them in ice baths. The boys also need to cool down their legs and their feet in cold water and ice baths.”(sic)