The Club World Cup in the U.S., which had 32 teams, served as a kind of test run for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, teaching FIFA a lesson about how to host big tournaments. There were criticisms of the heat, the unfit pitch, and the imbalance in attendance at the event, creating fears for the event happening next year, when the same type of World Cup will have 48 teams. Nevertheless, FIFA believes that the current tournament will serve as a good lesson to prepare for the 2026 event without any issues.
Club World Cup a Test Run for 2026 Amid Heat and Pitch Concerns
