This is far from the first time a major footballing event has been disrupted by the volatile weather in the United States. During the Club World Cup last year, several matches faced similar delays, leading some figures in the game to question the suitability of certain regions for summer tournaments. Chelsea’s clash with Benfica was one of six games affected, eventually taking four hours and 38 minutes to finish.
Speaking after that ordeal, then-Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was vocal about his frustrations, stating: “If you suspend seven, eight games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.” Consequently, FIFA has adopted a case-by-case approach for matches hosted in the Gulf Coast and Southeast regions of America to manage the inevitable threat of thunderstorms.
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