2025 FIFA Club World Cup Faces Multiple Weather Delays Across US Venues

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup held across the U.S. has faced numerous delays due to extreme weather conditions, including lightning, thunderstorms, and heavy rain, with six matches experiencing suspensions lasting from nearly 50 minutes to two hours. Chelsea's Round of 16 match against Benfica was notably delayed for almost two hours due to lightning, leading to strong criticism from Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca, who called the frequent stoppages "a joke" and questioned the suitability of the U.S. as the tournament's host given these recurring weather disruptions. Maresca expressed frustration that these delays are impacting the flow of the game, noting that seven or eight matches have been suspended so far, and warned that such conditions may not be appropriate for this competition. The weather concerns extend to upcoming matches, with additional severe weather alerts issued for games like Inter's match against Fluminense in Charlotte, where similar conditions may cause further interruptions. Despite these challenges, Chelsea advanced to face Palmeiras in the quarterfinals, but the ongoing extreme weather highlights broader issues about climate change's impact on global sports events and raises questions about preparations for the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup in the U.S. The situation underscores the economic and logistical ramifications of climate-driven weather extremes on major international tournaments.