After Heat, FIFA Club World Cup Weathers Storms And Threat Of Lightning

Last Updated:June 21, 2025, 18:54 IST

Friday’s match in Orlando between Benfica and Auckland City was suspended for nearly two hours after halftime due to a lightning storm in the area.

Club World Cup Group C match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando delayed by weather. (AP Photo)

From oppressive heat to thunderstorms, the Club World Cup has experienced the extremes of the American summer, with lightning now causing players to retreat to the tunnels while fans seek shelter as matches are abruptly halted.

While initial concerns centered around soaring temperatures and oppressive humidity, it is the crackling skies and heavy rain that have proved to be the tournament’s most disruptive elements.

Friday’s match in Orlando between Benfica and Auckland City was suspended for nearly two hours after halftime due to a lightning storm in the area.

At the same venue on Tuesday, fans had just settled into their seats when the referee directed Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns to return to their dressing rooms, delaying the match for more than an hour due to lightning.

Cincinnati experienced an even longer interruption when a severe thunderstorm halted Red Bull Salzburg’s game against Pachuca for over 90 minutes.

In New Jersey, lightning near MetLife Stadium caused a 50-minute delay during the contest between Palmeiras and Al Ahly.

"Your attention please. For your safety, we are going to have everyone leave the Seating Bowl area and take shelter inside the stadium because of severe weather in the area," read a safety message on the big screens in the arena.

"Event staff are available to guide and assist you. Those on the field, please walk calmly to the nearest tunnel… or to the service corridor."

Heavy rain often gives the home side an advantage on a cold, wet night in Stoke — reflecting a famous English soccer cliché — but this is not the case in the United States.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), 75% of lightning-related deaths in the last decade occurred from June to August.

Meteorological challenges are not new, but the combination of sweltering humidity followed by electrical storms makes the NWS warning particularly relevant — "When thunder roars, go indoors!"

FIFA has weather protocols in place to ensure the safety of players and spectators. If lightning is detected within 10 miles (16.09 km) of the stadium, an automatic match suspension is triggered.

The match director informs the referee, who then stops play. The storm is monitored before players are called back out, with the warm-up time before the restart depending on the duration they were off the pitch.

Fans are also asked to leave the stands and seek shelter in the concourse, with one source mentioning that stadiums have the capacity to keep them inside until the storm passes.

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