Wenger Defends Club World Cup Format, Disagrees with Klopp’s Concerns

Arsene Wenger disagreed with Jurgen Klopps harsh comments about FIFAs new 32-team Club World Cup, calling it a fantastic competition that has been well-received by clubs, players, and coaches.

Klopp, who recently left Liverpool, had slammed the expanded summer tournament as the worst idea ever invented in an interview with German newspaperDie Welt. But Wenger, who now serves as FIFAs Head of Global Football Development, shared a different opinion during a media briefing in New York.

Everyone can have their opinion, but I dont agree with Klopp, Wenger said. I believe a true Club World Cup was needed. If you ask the clubs who took part this time, Im confident nearly all would say they want to play again. That says a lot.

He also mentioned the tournaments strong fan turnout, which exceeded expectations. The real question isdo fans enjoy it? We thought attendance might be low, but it turned out to be much better than expected. That speaks for itself, Wenger added.

The Club World Cup has also helped FIFA test things in preparation for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Wenger admitted that the summer heat in America created some difficulties, but said FIFA learned some useful lessons to fix these problems in the future.

Arsene Wenger admitted that the hot weather in some matches caused problems. He said they tried to manage the heat by having cooling breaks and watering the field during breaks. Wenger mentioned that they learned a lot about handling these situations.

He pointed out that Orlando had some issues with pitch conditions, but overall, he praised the quality of natural grass fields. He said the pitch in Philadelphia stood out and could be a model for future tournaments in the U.S.

Wenger also said that FIFA is planning to use stadiums with roofs in cities like Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Houston for early matches in next years tournaments. He shared that FIFA experts studied how heat affects player performance. Their research found that when the temperature goes above 35C (95F), it mostly affects players ability to sprint or run at high speed, rather than the total distance they run.

He added, Next year, we will likely have more roofed stadiums because we also need to follow the TV schedule. We are learning how to be better prepared for these conditions.

The first-ever 32-team Club World Cup will end on Sunday, with Paris Saint-Germain facing Chelsea in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.