Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez reacts at the end of the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Palmeiras and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio (1) kicks the ball during the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Fluminense and Chelsea in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Paris Saint-Germain's starting 11 pose for a team photo before the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between PSG and Real Madrid in East Rutherford, N.J., Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Chelsea's starting players pose for a team photo at the beginning of a Club World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Benfica and Chelsea in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) 鈥 Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fern谩ndez heads into Sunday's Club World Cup final wary of the weather, along with Paris Saint-Germain.
鈥淗onestly, the heat is incredible,鈥 Fernandez said Friday. 鈥淭he other day I got a little dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy. Playing in this temperature in very dangerous."
FIFA slashed ticket prices again ahead of the final, as it has throughout the tournament.
Chelsea and PSG play starting at 3 p.m. EDT in MetLife Stadium, also site of next year's World Cup final. Because of the heat, Fernandez recommended FIFA avoid afternoon kickoffs at the 2026 tournament.
鈥淭he speed of the game is not the same,鈥 he said. 鈥淓verything becomes very slow. Well, let鈥檚 hope that next year they change the schedule, at least so that it remains a beautiful and attractive football spectacle.鈥
Temperature at kickoff is forecast to be 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) with humidity that will make it feel like 91 F (33 C).
"The game will be harder for the team that don鈥檛 have the ball,鈥 Chelsea captain Reece James said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e played in it a fair amount now, so I鈥檇 say we鈥檙e slowly, slowly getting used to it.鈥
Both teams were allowed by FIFA not to have media availabilities on Saturday.
PSG seeks to complete a quadruple after winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and its first Champions League title.
Chelsea is trying for its second world championship after winning in 2021. The Blues have a fourth day of rest after on Tuesday, a day before .
Lowest ticket prices dropped from $330 earlier in the week to $199.60 on Saturday.
鈥淚 agree with most of the people that they say that they are the best team in Europe, the best team in the world, and the reason why is because they are showing this 鈥 they show in France, they show in the Champions League, they are showing in this competition," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said.
PSG clinched the French league title on April 5 with six games to spare, won the French Cup on May 24 and the Champions League a week later, romping over Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.
鈥淲e really want to go grab this title and this would make it an absolutely perfect season, which would be very hard to replicate," PSG captain Marquinhos said. 鈥淲e really want to make history.鈥
Chelsea had a more modest season, finishing fourth in the Premier League, losing to Brighton in the fourth round of the FA Cup, to Newcastle in the fourth round of the League Cup and winning the third-tier UEFA Conference League.
鈥淓veryone is picking up our opposition,鈥 James said. 鈥淲e are preparing right and we are going to win.鈥
NOTES: Maresca said winger Noni Madueke had left the team to sign elsewhere.
___
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