The incident happened at Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina (USA) in the early morning of June 29 when Enzo Maresca's team was leading 1-0 thanks to an early goal by Reece James.
However, adverse weather conditions, especially the threat of lightning strikes in Charlotte, forced the referee to make an abrupt decision to stop the game. An announcement on the stadium's big screen asked the audience to take shelter, and all 22 players and 25,929 fans in attendance were asked to evacuate the stands.
Chelsea and Benfica players leave the field in the 86th minute (Photo: Getty).
FIFA regulations stipulate a minimum stoppage of 30 minutes, but each time a new lightning strike occurs within 10 miles of the stadium, the clock must be reset. Nearly two hours after the teams left the field, there was still no sign of play resuming.
The incident has once again put the tournament under scrutiny, which has already faced problems such as low attendances. The 74,867-seat Bank of America Stadium was only about a third full, highlighting the lack of interest in a country that will host the World Cup in just 12 months. Many are wondering if similar situations will recur next summer when the World Cup is held across the United States.
Dark clouds cover Bank of America Stadium (Photo: Getty).
Previously, another match between Benfica and Auckland City was also interrupted for two hours for the same reason.
In an official statement, FIFA said: "Due to adverse weather conditions in Charlotte, including the risk of lightning strikes in the vicinity of Bank of America Stadium, the FIFA Club World Cup match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC has been postponed. A 30-minute break is expected. FIFA will adhere to established safety protocols and the match will resume as soon as it is safe to do so."
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/tran-chelsea-gap-benfica-bi-hoan-ngay-truoc-khi-het-gio-20250629065408780.htm
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