This year’s FIFA Club World Cup has faced serious disruption due to bad weather, with six matches suspended across five different cities in the United States. The latest was Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Benfica, which was delayed for nearly two hours due to thunderstorms in Charlotte.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was not happy. After the match, he said: “This is not football. You cannot be inside for two hours. I understand safety, but if you suspend six or seven games, maybe this is not the right place for the competition.”
The Chelsea vs Benfica match was delayed for one hour and 53 minutes, making it the second-longest stoppage in the tournament so far. Maresca’s team had taken the lead through Reece James and looked in full control until the weather interruption. After the break, Benfica equalised through Ángel Di María’s penalty.
Although Chelsea eventually won in extra time with goals from Nkunku, Neto and Dewsbury-Hall, Maresca questioned whether the USA is a good choice to host FIFA tournaments, especially with the 2026 World Cup coming up in North America.
Here are the six matches affected so far:
1. Chelsea vs Benfica (Charlotte) – 1 hour 53 minutes delay
2. Benfica vs Auckland City – 2-hour delay before kick-off
3. Mamelodi Sundowns vs Ulsan HD (Orlando) – suspended due to heavy rain
4. Palmeiras vs Al-Ahly (New Jersey) – 40-minute pause in second half
5. Salzburg vs Pachuca (Cincinnati) – 90-minute delay
6. Boca Juniors vs Auckland City (Nashville) – 50-minute stoppage
All stoppages were due to thunderstorms or extreme weather. According to US rules, games must be paused if lightning is detected within eight miles of the stadium.
Players have struggled with the long waits and heat. In Charlotte, Chelsea players had to stay active indoors, riding bikes and doing kick-ups to keep warm. Reece James said, “It was quite disruptive. The weather was hot and humid, and it wasn’t easy to stay focused.”
The delays have raised concerns ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams and be played across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Some stadiums like Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz have roofs, but many do not. Maresca also said it was “impossible” to hold a normal training session in Philadelphia due to the heat.
FIFA’s technical chief Arsène Wenger admitted: “It’s not ideal. You want the game to flow from start to finish, but safety must come first.”
FIFA confirmed in a statement that the match in Charlotte was suspended for safety reasons and resumed once conditions were safe.
Still, with six matches already disrupted, many are now asking: Is the US summer suitable for hosting major football tournaments?
