FIFA’s Global Football Development chief Arsene Wenger acknowledged concerns over the quality of pitches during the Club World Cup in the US but assured improvements for the 2026 World Cup. The dry, uneven surfaces have drawn criticism from European teams, with Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique comparing the ball’s bounce to “a rabbit.”
Wenger, who inspected the Orlando pitch, admitted it fell short of European standards. “It’s not perfect, but that will be rectified for the World Cup next year,“ he said. Enrique highlighted the challenges of natural grass laid over artificial turf, requiring manual watering and disrupting gameplay.
FIFA faces pressure to upgrade both stadium and training pitches ahead of the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The governing body aims to deliver world-class facilities to match the event’s prestige.
Paris St-Germain coach Luis Enrique raised the issue early in the expanded Club World Cup tournament.
“The ball bounces like a rabbit,” Luis Enrique said after his team’s opening 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
“Today, for example, the field used to be artificial turf, and now it’s natural grass laid over it, which means it has to be watered manually. It’s a big problem for the way we play.”
“Fifa really needs to take this seriously. Not just the stadium fields but also the training pitches. If we’re calling this the best club tournament in the world, it should have world‑class facilities. I can’t imagine an NBA game played on a court full of holes.”
