Arsene Wenger says Club World Cup is ‘needed' following Jurgen Klopp's criticisms
Wenger, who is now FIFA's chief of global soccer development, backed the new look Club World Cup, which wraps this weekend with the final between Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain, during a FIFA media availability session on Thursday in Manhattan.
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Wenger leads the event's technical study group, which is made up of former players and coaches, including former USMNT manager Jurgen Klinsmann and newly retired USWNT legend Tobin Heath, who analyze trends in the game.
Last month, ex-Liverpool boss Klopp, now head of global soccer at Red Bull, called the expanded tournament 'the worst idea ever implemented in football.' Klopp took aim at how it impacted the football calendar and restricted time for player development.
Wenger was asked about Klopp's criticisms of the Club World Cup directly.
'I am going to give a very boring answer to a very interesting question. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I don't share the view of Jurgen Klopp at all,' Wenger said.
'I feel a Club World Cup is needed. If you make enquiries to all the clubs who were here then 100 percent of answers would be that they would want to do it again. That's the best answer of what the clubs think of a Club World Cup.
'And the decisive question is, 'Do the fans like it or not?' We believe the attendances were projected as low and in reality were much higher. The answer is there.'
The study group addressed a wide range of topics, from feedback they've received on pitch quality to how extreme heat has impacted the competition.
The pitches have been an ongoing issue, with players and coaches offering mixed reviews across its various venues. MetLife in particular, which will also host the 2026 World Cup final, was quickly criticized after the first game hosted there.
Wenger defended the overall pitch quality in the United States, insisted the tournament would remain as being held once every four years and praised the high levels of technical quality reached by PSG ahead of Sunday's final. He also addressed the future of the competition, saying 'The next edition will be 2029. That's always been the case [rather than to play the Club World Cup every two years].'
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Regarding pitch quality, Wenger said he received 'very positive feedback' on the quality of training pitches and 'very few complaints' about pitches for games. He described two venues with issues, singling out Orlando. It's unclear which stadium he intended, with the city's Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium both hosting games.
Wenger cautioned not to 'underestimate' the quality of real grass fields, even if they require extra care.
'The grass is a bit different here. It's a bit harsher or more resistant than in other countries. The pitches were 'flat'. But once we watered the grass, everyone was happy,' he said.
Heat has also been a major narrative in this summer, with scorching temperatures across the U.S. raising concerns over the possibility of midday or early afternoon start times in 2026.
'The heat in some games was a problem but we tried to combat that with cooling breaks, watering the pitches during the break and overall I feel we learned a lot on that front,' Wenger said. 'Certainly, next year in stadiums there will also be more with roofs and the TV times will be more sensitive. At the same time, the weather conditions can be a problem for everybody.'
Wenger asked analysts to review the impact of heat on players. He said they found that temperatures over 35C (95F) impacted high-speed running, rather than their distances.
Klinsmann, who represented Germany at the 1994 World Cup and as coach led the U.S. to the round of 16 of the 2014 tournament before being fired amid an ultimately doomed qualifying attempt for 2018, also spoke with reporters on Thursday. He recalled how unbearable the heat was in Dallas 31 years ago, but stressed that part of football is adapting to all circumstances.
'The heat is difficult. If you play in 90-degree heat, then you are going to suffer,' he said. 'This has been something completely new, and you have to deal with the circumstances. If a World Cup is in Qatar then you have to adapt. Football is about being able to adapt.'
The tournament resumes Sunday with the championship at 3 p.m. local time, which as of Thursday is estimated to be a high of 85 degrees F with partly cloudy, sunny skies.
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