⛈️ Another suspension hits the Club World Cup | OneFootball

Benfica and Auckland City had to interrupt their match at the end of the first half, being the fourth time this happens in the tournament... How does the climate protocol work?

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Another match interrupted by a possible storm in the FIFA Club World Cup being held in the United States, where the body that regulates world football is very concerned about the health of the footballers.

Benfica and Auckland City played an entertaining first half in Orlando, where Ángel Di María put the Portuguese team ahead at the end of the first half. However, the match was interrupted for almost three hours due to weather conditions.

How does the protocol work? This procedure is based on the regulations of U.S. Soccer, FIFA, and the recommendations of the National Weather Service (NWS) of the United States.

Outdoor sports events in this country are suspended if there is a risk of lightning within a radius of 8 miles (approximately 13 kilometers).

Once the protocol is activated, an evacuation of the playing field and stands is carried out: everyone must move to covered areas or closed facilities.

And a minimum of 30 minutes must be waited since the last thunder or lightning was detected. If during this period a new electrical phenomenon is perceived, the count is restarted. That is why the resumption of matches is unpredictable. They can even be rescheduled if conditions do not improve.

In addition to Benfica-Auckland, this also happened in three other matches: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Ulsan Hyundai (Orlando), Pachuca vs. Red Bull Salzburg (Ohio), and Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly (New Jersey). All were able to continue and be completed, but... Will this happen again in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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