'The teams are suffering' - Luis Enrique and Vitinha lead complaints about intense heat due to Club World Cup kick-off times despite Atletico Madrid demolition

PSG thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in their Club World Cup group-stage opener, but the focus quickly turned from goals to heat. Played at noon in Pasadena, Los Angeles, the match kicked off in searing conditions, with temperatures reaching nearly 40°C under the sun and 60% humidity. The schedule, meant to suit European prime-time audiences, left players visibly exhausted on the pitch and drew vocal criticism from both teams.

To cater to UEFA-friendly time slots, FIFA scheduled marquee matches like PSG vs Atletico Madrid at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), replicating the familiar Champions League evening slot in Europe. But with the 2025 Club World Cup being staged in the U.S. summer, this move has sparked concerns. The PSG boss and midfielder Vitinha, along with the Atletico’s Marcos Llorente, raised red flags about the unbearable playing conditions, calling it a direct threat to match quality and player welfare.

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Speaking after PSG’s dominant win, both Enrique and Vitinha voiced strong concerns about the extreme heat during the midday kick-off in LA, with the coach saying: “The match was clearly influenced by the temperature. The time slot is great for European audiences, but the teams are suffering. In terms of play, it's impossible to perform at a very high level for 90 minutes,” he added, despite praising the club’s dominance."

The Portuguese international echoed those concerns in his own during the post-match presser: "Of course, it's difficult. It's for both teams. It might be a bit harder for Atlético because they don't have the ball. For me, it's harder to run after the ball. It's hot here today at this time. I'm all red. It was really difficult, but we're trying to recover as much as possible because at this point in the season, it can be decisive."

More teams to face same brutal heat in coming days. Real Madrid and Al Hilal are next in line, set to face off in Miami at 3:00 p.m. local time, where temperatures and humidity levels will mirror those in Pasadena. VinIcius Jr. warned on Real Madrid TV: “It’s very hot. The game is at 3:00 p.m. and we have to be prepared because it's going to be very tough.”

Meanwhile, PSG will play Botafogo in Pasadena again at 6 p.m. local time. Atletico Madrid travel to Seattle, where the forecast is a far cooler 19°C.