FIFA Club World Cup 2025 kicks off at 12pm, why?

With harsh competition conditions and matches constantly being postponed due to weather, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is becoming a target for attacks.

12pm matches are becoming a nightmare for many teams at the FIFA Club World Cup - Photo: REUTERS

"Extreme heat is becoming a serious problem affecting the health and safety of professional players," said FIFPRO - the world's professional footballers' association - in a statement about the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Weather disaster

During the FIFA Club World Cup, many people were surprised to see that many matches started at… 12 noon local time. Recently, the match between Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns started at this time at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati (Ohio), with a temperature of 30.5 degrees Celsius.

Dortmund coach Niko Kovac complained after the match that he was sweating like he had just "stepped out of a sauna". Meanwhile, Dortmund's reserve players had to "hide" in the dressing room to avoid the heat, instead of sitting in the cabin area on the pitch.

The match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid also took place at 12 noon. After the match, Atletico Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente complained that the playing conditions were so harsh that his toes and toenails felt like they were on fire.

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak had to pour water on his head when he entered the field at 12 noon, showing the terrible heat the players had to face - Photo: REUTERS

In fact, for European teams, playing at 12 o'clock is not only a torture but also a big disadvantage. Atletico Madrid players, with their defensive style of play, constantly chasing the ball, quickly lost their strength and collapsed when they lost 0-4 to PSG.

Dortmund, who had led 3-1 in the first half, almost lost their advantage when they left the field with a score of 4-3. The reason is understandable because their opponent was Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, who are more accustomed to playing in hot weather.

But the heat is not the only disaster. When it is hot, the temperature is high, but when it rains, it pours like a waterfall. Of the first 21 matches of the FIFA Club World Cup, four have been postponed due to heavy rain, wind and lightning. These matches started 40 minutes to two hours later than scheduled, causing confusion for players and fans.

Regardless of… copyright?

There have been many complaints, even criticisms, about FIFA organizing matches at unusual times. But why are they so "stubborn" to let matches start at noon?

The answer may lie in television rights. FIFA and the US host organization want to spread out the schedule to serve the copyrighted television stations. Specifically, the stations can broadcast matches in many different time slots, without having to worry about which matches to choose and which to skip. Being able to broadcast more matches will attract more viewers, thereby increasing revenue for the stations.

But at the moment, that plan is in ruins partly because of the weather. According to the available schedule, Benfica vs Auckland City in Group C will kick off before Flamengo vs Chelsea in Group D.

Heavy rain caused the match between Benfica and Auckland City to be postponed for 2 hours, affecting the broadcast schedule of the TV station - Photo: REUTERS

However, the match that started first ended later. The reason was that after the first half between Benfica and Auckland City ended, a lightning storm appeared and delayed the match for 2 hours.

And of course Benfica coach Bruno Lage was not happy. He said: "It was the longest match of my career. We tried to play the best we could. The weather and the temperature made everything difficult."

Matches postponed due to weather have also caused a lot of trouble for TV stations' broadcast schedules so far.

Health concerns

The current cooling break cannot solve the health problems of the players - Photo: REUTERS

While matches affected by storms can be postponed, FIFA is determined not to reschedule matches that start in hot weather. Concerned about the health of players, FIFPRO had to call on FIFA to adjust the match schedule even in the middle of the FIFA Club World Cup.

A statement from the International Federation of Professional Footballers' Associations stated: "FIFPRO has always supported measures to protect players from hot weather, including cooling breaks, adjusted match start times and postponements of matches when weather conditions pose a high risk to players."

But despite the dangers, FIFA has stood by its decision, insisting the fixture was in line with regulations.

The impact of such weather also raises another concern, at next year's 2026 World Cup, when matches will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. There have been calls for at least one additional cooling break in each half.

But this is only a temporary solution. The weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable, and the impact could be dire. A campaign group called Fossil Free Football predicts that next week’s FIFA Club World Cup could be played in even harsher conditions, with a heatwave forecast. Temperatures could reach 41 degrees Celsius, affecting the health of not only players but also fans.

"Those who want to compete in the 2026 World Cup will probably have a taste of its harshness by now," warned Chris Tyler, a PhD in environmental physiology at the University of Roehampton (UK).

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/fifa-club-world-cup-2025-dau-luc-12h-trua-vi-sao-20250622112831836.htm