America's Club World Cup, The Worst Idea in Football

The sky seems to be divided in the United States. Hot weather and thunderstorms can occur simultaneously in various cities hosting the 2025 Club World Cup. Both extreme weather conditions equally disrupt the comfort of the participating clubs.

Chelsea nearly fell victim to the uncertainty of the weather. Specifically, in the round of 16 match at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, on Sunday (29/6/2025 WIB). They managed to win, 4-1, against Benfica, but had to endure a match that lasted for more than four hours.

The match was significantly prolonged due to a 113-minute delay. The game was temporarily halted in the 86th minute, with Chelsea leading 1-0, due to the threat of lightning in the vicinity of the stadium. Initially, the delay was expected to last only 30 minutes, but it continued to be pushed back as conditions did not improve.

The Chelsea players are confused. They continue to wait in the locker room, warming up by riding stationary bikes. On the other hand, the Benfica squad is already accustomed to this situation. The match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando during the group stage was also delayed for two hours due to a similar issue.

After the restart, Chelsea lost their touch. They conceded to Benfica in injury time. The match went into extra time. "Honestly, I think it was a joke. It's not football. It's something new. I find it hard to understand," said Chelsea Head Coach Enzo Maresca.

Fortunately, Chelsea had a numerical advantage from the beginning of extra time as Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni received a red card. Cole Palmer and his teammates once again claimed victory that was initially within their grasp, before the threat of lightning emerged.

"I understand there are safety reasons behind this, but if you postpone so many matches, then perhaps this place is not suitable for hosting competitions. How many matches have been postponed like this in Europe? Zero. That becomes a personal issue for me," emphasized Maresca.

As of now, six matches in five cities have been postponed due to heavy rain or the threat of lightning. The two postponements involving Benfica are recorded as the longest. Other matches include Palmeiras versus Al-Ahly in New Jersey (40 minutes), Salzburg versus Pachuca in Cincinnati (90 minutes), and Boca Juniors versus Auckland City in Nashville (50 minutes).

Arsene Wenger, Head of Global Football Development at FIFA, stated that the postponement was unavoidable. "It is indeed not ideal. I agree because you certainly want the match to flow from the beginning to the last minute. However, when organizing a competition, you must prioritize safety," he said.

Unfortunately, Chelsea also fell victim to the extreme heat. They had to play in temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius during the group match against Esperance de Tunis in Philadelphia. Interestingly, when the match was postponed due to lightning, the temperature around the stadium remained quite hot and humid. "The climate here is very challenging," said Chelsea defender Reece James.

The solutions from the host are very limited. There are only a few stadiums with roofs, one of which is the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Most do not have roofs. Meanwhile, there is a hydration break at the midpoint of each half to address the hot weather.

Extreme weather in the US is a significant issue. This problem is likely to be faced again in the 2026 World Cup. However, according to renowned coach Juergen Klopp, it is not worse than the existence of the Club World Cup in the summer. All the issues stem from changes in the tournament format.

According to Klopp, the tournament should not take place during the transition period between seasons. Moreover, the competition uses a full tournament system. Each club must go through the group stage and compete from the round of 16 in the knockout phase. This reduces the players' rest time.

"Last year there was the America Cup and the European Cup (in the summer). This year there is the Club World Cup. Then, next year there is the World Cup. In the end, it is all just about the matches. No one cares about the surrounding aspects (such as the players)," said Klopp.

Klopp compared football players to NBA players. "NBA players who earn higher salaries have a four-month break each year. (Football players) do not have real time for recovery, both physically and mentally," he continued.

The Paris Saint-Germain squad serves as an example. They recently played in the Champions League final at the end of May. About two weeks later, the team coached by Luis Enrique is already competing in the Club World Cup. If they advance to the final match, PSG will be in action until mid-July. This means they will have less than a month of break before the first match of the next season.

Regardless of Klopp's concerns, many parties still support the existence of the Club World Cup. One of them is Manchester City Manager Josep Guardiola. He appreciates the concept of bringing together the best clubs from around the world every four years.

The new concept makes the tournament more prestigious. Unlike the usual format held once a year for a very short duration, according to Guardiola, City is fortunate to be able to compete in such a significant event. This includes the opportunity to meet supporters from various countries and cultures.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether Guardiola will maintain that stance. Will his statement remain the same when his players are lost one by one due to a storm of injuries, similar to the misfortunes that befell City last season. (AP/REUTERS)