Paris St-Germain boss Luis Enrique has become the latest to complain about the quality of Club World Cup pitches.
Spanish manager Enrique, 55, described the ball as ‘bouncing like a rabbit’ as his side beat Seattle Sounders.
The game took place at Seattle’s Lumen Field. Home to both the Sounders and NFL franchise, the Seattle Seahawks, the artificial surface had been replaced with a hybrid grass pitch for the Club World Cup.
But with erratic ball movement and irregular bounces, Enrique has warned FIFA about the quality of playing surfaces.
He says that for the Club World Cup to be considered “the most high-level competition in the world”, FIFA should “bear in mind” the pitch quality.
Luis Enrique Unhappy With Club World Cup Pitches
Speaking after his side’s 2-0 Group B victory, Enrique said: “I wouldn’t imagine a NBA court full of holes.
“What I really care about is the state of the field of play, and I say this on the day we’ve won.
“The ball bounces almost like if it were jumping around like a rabbit.”
His Paris Saint-Germain side thrashed Inter Milan in Munich to win the Champions League in May.
But the Spaniard said the players have had to adapt to conditions in the US.
“Lumen Field is an example, it used to be artificial turf and now it is natural grass and they have to water it by hand – they did so at half-time but the field was dry again in 10 minutes,” added Enrique.
“For our game this a problem. It’s very different to European pitches. The grass is different and therefore it is not so easy to have the same smoothness to play our style – but we did adapt well and we’re very happy.”
🗣️ Luis Enrique: "What matters is the state of the pitch. And I say that today, even though we won, we're a long way from European stadiums. 🏟️
We can't play at the level we want to. I can't imagine an NBA court with holes. We play in stadiums where the ball looks more like a… pic.twitter.com/Xe86VRFYG8
— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) June 24, 2025
Jude Bellingham Criticises Club World Cup Pitches
And it’s not just Luis Enrique who has voiced his displeasure.
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham said the Club World Cup pitches ‘aren’t great’ and called for improvement.
Following his side’s 3-1 win against Pachuca, Bellingham said: “The pitches aren’t great at all. It holds up the ball, the ball barely bounces.
“It’s tough on the knees as well. Hopefully there’s someone who will look at that going into the World Cup next year.”
Five Club World Cup venues have also been chosen to host matches at next year’s World Cup.
The Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Hard Rock Stadium, MetLife Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field and Lumen Field are all home to NFL franchises.
Each usually boasts an artificial surface, but will have real grass in place for the World Cup – as per FIFA’s requirements.
This isn’t the first time American pitches have come under scrutiny, though.
Last summer’s Copa America saw Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez describe the Mercedes-Benz Stadium pitch as “a disaster”.
Poor Pitches A Concern Ahead Of 2026 World Cup
With less than a year until the FIFA World Cup, this is a worrying development.
The tournament will be held across the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Host body CONMEBOL has defended the pitch quality, though.
Competitions director Fredirico Nantes argued the grass posed “absolutely no threat”.
But aside from the pitches, other concerns have been raised about the Club World Cup.
Scorching June temperatures have impacted players, while others are wondering why Club World Cup games have been so poorly attended.
