Wenger Defends 32-Team Club World Cup as a Success Despite Klopp's Criticism

Arsene Wenger has countered Jurgen Klopp's criticism of FIFA's revamped 32-team Club World Cup, lauding the tournament as a "fantastic competition" that received overwhelming support from participating teams and fans. Despite Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, branding the tournament as "the worst idea ever invented," Wenger, now FIFA's chief of global football development, confidently defended the event at a FIFA Technical Study Group briefing in New York.

Wenger dismissed Klopp's comments, asserting that a real Club World Cup was necessary and has been well-received. He cited unexpectedly high attendance figures as evidence of the tournament's success. "The decisive question is, do the fans like it?" he asked, adding that low attendance projections were proven wrong by reality.

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the tournament served as a valuable testing ground. While the summer heat in the U.S. posed challenges, FIFA learned important lessons. Wenger mentioned plans to improve conditions by using covered stadiums in cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Houston for future tournaments, acknowledging issues with heat impacting player performance.

(With inputs from agencies.)