Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez calls US heat dangerous, asks FIFA to avoid afternoon kickoffs for 2026 World Cup

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez heads into Sunday’s Club World Cup final wary of the weather, along with Paris Saint-Germain.

“Honestly, the heat is incredible,” Fernandez said 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 in very dangerous.”

FIFA slashed ticket prices again ahead of the final, as it has throughout the tournament.

Chelsea and PSG play starting at 3 p.m. EDT in MetLife Stadium, also site of next year’s World Cup final. Because of the heat, Fernandez recommended FIFA to avoid afternoon kickoffs at the 2026 tournament.

FILE PHOTO: Al Ain’s Park Yong-woo cools off during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Wydad AC and Al Ain FC in Washington, Thursday, June 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
AP

“The speed of the game is not the same,” he said. “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.”

Temperature at kickoff is forecast to be 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) with humidity that will make it feel like 91 F (33 C). Both teams were allowed by FIFA not to have media availabilities on Saturday.

PSG seeks to complete a quadruple after winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and its first Champions League title.

Chelsea is trying for its second world championship after winning in 2021. The Blues have a fourth day of rest after beating Fluminense 2-0 on Tuesday, a day before PSG routed Real Madrid 4-0.

Lowest ticket prices dropped from USD 330 earlier in the week to USD 199.60 on Saturday.