With the Club World Cup heating up—literally—teams are struggling to adapt to the extreme US temperatures, prompting warnings and unconventional measures from coaches and players alike.
Ahead of Manchester City’s highly anticipated clash with Juventus, manager Pep Guardiola addressed the brutal conditions during a press conference. The Spanish tactician didn’t mince words about the challenge, saying, “The heat is obvious. We can’t change that, right? So it’s better to play like we did at Mercedes‑Benz in Atlanta—it was fantastic! But everyone has to deal with it. We need to be ready to suffer.”
He also issued a heartfelt warning to fans planning to attend the match: “Bring water, wear hats, carry towels for your neck—just be prepared. I hope we can put on a good show, but it’s going to be tough.”
The heatwave has impacted more than just City. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca called the Philadelphia conditions “almost impossible” for proper training. The team resorted to industrial fans and cooling sprays at Subaru Park and even cut training sessions short.
Atlético Madrid’s Marcos Llorente was visibly affected during his team’s group-stage exit. “It’s terribly hot. Even my toenails hurt—I couldn’t stop or accelerate,” he complained.
Bayern Munich’s Thomas Müller, however, offered a different perspective. The 36-year-old played 90 minutes in 36 °C and made it clear he wasn’t buying the excuses: “If I can run for 90 minutes at this age, anyone can. No excuses.”
Borussia Dortmund took heat safety to a new level. During their match against Mamelodi Sundowns, substitutes stayed in the locker room for the first half to avoid direct sun exposure, then used umbrellas in the second half. “We’ve never done this before, but it made perfect sense,” said the team on social media.
As the 2026 World Cup looms—set to take place across North America—this year’s Club World Cup has unintentionally become a test run for how football will cope with extreme weather. The message is clear: stay cool, stay safe, and be ready for anything.