Arsene Wenger Defends Expanded Club World Cup Amid Jurgen Klopp Criticism

Arsene Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, has countered Jurgen Klopp's criticism of the expanded Club World Cup.

Arsene Wenger believes the Club World Cup is a ‘fantastic competition’ supported by teams, players, and managers.

Jurgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, had previously labelled the revamped summer tournament, now featuring 32 teams, as ‘the worst idea ever invented.’

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However, Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager, insists the competition enjoys widespread approval, as quoted by BBC Sport.

"Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I don't share Jürgen Klopp's view at all. I believe a Club World Cup is necessary. If you ask the participating clubs, 100% would say they want to compete again. That's the clearest indication of their support," Arsene Wenger said in response to Klopp's comments.

Arsene Wenger also addressed concerns about fan interest, stating that the crucial question was whether the fans were enjoying it.

He noted that while projected attendance figures had been low, the actual numbers turned out to be much higher, making the answer clear.

FIFA is also focusing on mitigating the impact of heat and improving pitch conditions, lessons learned from the recent tournament, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup across North America.

“The heat was an issue in some matches, but we implemented cooling breaks and watered the pitches. We learned a lot,” Arsene Wenger added.

“We encountered problems at a couple of venues, including Orlando. However, the quality of the permanent grass pitches shouldn't be underestimated."

Arsene Wenger noted that the grass was tougher and more resistant, causing the pitches to play flat, but watering helped improve the conditions to the satisfaction of all.

He added that more stadiums would have roofs next year and that TV scheduling would be more flexible, acknowledging that weather can impact everyone.

"Our analysts found that temperatures above 35°C impacted high-speed running, specifically sprints, not distance covered. We must be prepared to address this," Arsene Wenger said.

Arsene Wenger remains confident in the future of the expanded Club World Cup, emphasising its growing support and the valuable lessons learned from recent tournaments.