An electric moral for the World Cup 2026

Having just finished, Gianni Infantino, very proud, boasted about his new Club World Cup. "The golden age of global club football has begun," he said, "and we can definitely say that this Club World Cup has been a huge, huge, huge success". A tinsel reality if you look beyond. Specifically, towards the sky. 

Because it has also gone down in history as the FIFA tournament with the most games halted due to inclement weather. The now famous thunderstorms and their strict enforcement in the United States affected up to six of the 63 matches in competition, plus all those that experienced the uncertainty of days when it was close. Many complaints, but above all, that of the champions' coach, Enzo Maresca, who spoke out loud and clear after five hours of play against Benfica in the round of 16.

"If six or seven games are suspended, it's a joke. I understand that for safety reasons matches have to be stopped, but if it happens too often, then I don't think it's the right place to hold the tournament," the Chelsea boss cried out loudly. The point is that the right venue will leave 78 of the 104 matches at the next World Cup on US soil.

In the clubs competition, Cincinatti, New Jersey, Charlotte, Nasvhille and Orlando, this one in a couple of occasions, were the affected cities. And some of those problematic venues, like the Hard Rock Stadium or the MetLife Stadium (it can be roofed, but in the Palmeiras-Al-Ahly had to be suspended to be held outdoors), will reappear. 

And many from the dreaded West Coast, where this is more common: Atlanta and New Jersey will host 8 games, compared to 7 in Miami and Boston. And 6 will be in Philadelphia, which had Real Madrid-Juventus threatened.

The rules and protocols of stoppages in sporting events are a regular routine for North American sports fans. However, the rigidity and saturation of the World Cup calendar, which in the next edition will increase to 48 teams for the first time, forces Infantino to draw up a more operative roadmap and other B plans to avoid delays and inconveniences such as those experienced in the recently concluded Club World Cup.