As Chelsea prepares to face Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday’s Club World Cup final, midfielder Enzo Fernández raised concerns over extreme heat conditions and urged FIFA to reconsider scheduling afternoon matches during next year’s World Cup.
“Honestly, the heat is incredible,” Fernández said on Friday. “The other day I got a little dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy. Playing in this temperature is very dangerous.”
Chelsea and PSG will kick off at 3 p.m. EDT at MetLife Stadium, which will also host the 2026 World Cup final. Forecasts project a temperature of 83°F (28°C), but humidity will make it feel closer to 91°F (33°C).
“The speed of the game is not the same,” Fernández added. “Everything becomes very slow. Well, let’s hope that next year they change the schedule, at least so that it remains a beautiful and attractive football spectacle.”
Chelsea captain Reece James echoed the challenge but expressed some optimism. “The game will be harder for the team that doesn’t have the ball,” he said. “I think we’ve played in it a fair amount now, so I’d say we’re slowly, slowly getting used to it.”
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Both teams were excused from media duties on Saturday by FIFA, which has also slashed ticket prices throughout the tournament. The lowest-priced tickets have now dropped from $330 to $199.60 ahead of the final.
PSG enters the match aiming to complete a historic quadruple, having already secured the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, and their first-ever UEFA Champions League title, defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.
“We really want to go grab this title and this would make it an absolutely perfect season, which would be very hard to replicate,” said PSG captain Marquinhos. “We really want to make history.”
Chelsea is looking for its second Club World Cup title after winning in 2021. The Blues have had an extra day of rest after defeating Fluminense 2-0 on Tuesday, while PSG thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 the following day.
Despite a comparatively modest season — finishing fourth in the Premier League, and early exits from the FA Cup and League Cup — Chelsea lifted the UEFA Conference League title.
“Everyone is picking up our opposition,” said James. “We are preparing right and we are going to win.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged PSG’s dominance: “I agree with most of the people that they say that they are the best team in Europe, the best team in the world, and the reason why is because they are showing this — they show in France, they show in the Champions League, they are showing in this competition.”