 "After empty seats and extreme heat, US faces fresh criticism over poor pitches at FIFA Club World Cup")
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has brought fans from all over the world to the United States to enjoy a new 32-team format. With exciting matches and big-name players in action, the tournament was highly anticipated even before it began.
FIFA has claimed that over 1.5 million tickets have been sold, and more than 1 million people have already attended matches despite earlier reports suggesting empty seats at stadiums .
But attendance numbers are not the main concern of clubs that are participating. After early complaints about the scorching summer heat in the US , a new issue has come up that FIFA would find troubling before next year’s World Cup.
Players and coaches complain about quality of grounds in US
Many players and coaches have pointed out the poor pitch quality at several stadiums across the United States. Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique slammed the surfaces in the US in his post-match comments after his team beat the Seattle Sounders 2–0. He said the pitch looked good but didn’t play well.
“I’m saying this today because we won — the pitches here are nowhere near the quality of those in Europe. They look good, but the ball bounces like a rabbit. Today, for example, the surface was laid over the original turf and had to be watered manually. They watered it at halftime, but it was dry again after 10 minutes,” Enrique said.
PSG defender Achraf Hakimi also spoke about the problem, saying that the heat and dry grass are making it hard to play their natural game.
“I think the most negative aspect I have experienced so far — and it’s something we can’t do anything about — is the heat. It is summer, and you can tell by how quickly the pitch dries up. With our playing style, where we like to have the ball and control the flow of the game, it slows us down when the pitch is dry,” Hakimi told The Latin Times.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham also shared his thoughts after a match in Charlotte. He said the pitch was hard and the ball didn’t bounce properly.
“The pitches aren’t great here, honestly. It holds up, the ball barely bounces, and it’s tough on the knees as well. Hopefully it’s something that someone will look at going into the World Cup next year. It’s important that we protect the players as well as give the fans a spectacle,” Bellingham told reporters after Real Madrid’s 3–1 win over Liga MX side Pachuca.
These concerns should worry FIFA as they are slated to host the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
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