⛈️ Weather warning: World Cup in trouble, clubs fuming 😡 | OneFootball

The lightning bolts have not struck the stadiums hosting the Club World Cup in the United States, but rather FIFA, which has found itself at the center of controversy after the absurd suspension of the match between Chelsea and Benfica.

Interrupting matches for safety reasons is justified - and rightly so - but the question that arises spontaneously after so many "twists and turns" is this: does it make sense to play in a country that is so at risk? This is a question that has also been asked by Chelsea's coach, Enzo Maresca, who has decided to speak out.

😤 CHELSEA REBELS

"I think it's a joke - the Italian coach said - this is not football. I can understand that, for safety reasons, a match should be suspended. But if six or seven matches are suspended, it probably means that this is not the right place for this competition".

The match in Charlotte was interrupted four minutes from the 90th minute, with Chelsea leading 1-0. The teams returned to the locker rooms and the stadium was evacuated due to the arrival of a storm, following safety protocols. Two hours later, after the emergency had passed, the match resumed, but with most of the fans already at home.

📸 ANGELA WEISS - AFP or licensors

In a half-empty stadium - a constant, weather aside - the farce arrived: Benfica launched a counterattack and found the 1-1 equalizer on a penalty, caused by a handball by Malo Gusto in the last second.

❌ SIX INTERRUPTIONS IN TOTAL

"For 85 minutes, it was one of our best performances - Maresca explained - then we stopped for two hours and when we returned to the field, it was a whole different game, the rhythm was broken. The Club World Cup is a fantastic competition, but how many matches are suspended in a World Cup or a European Championship? None. Here, however, it is a problem".

In extra time, Chelsea reacted and closed the match with a clear 4-1 victory, flying into the quarterfinals. But the episode has left evident consequences: stopping for two hours to play just four minutes is something that cannot be considered normal. And as Maresca said, in the United States, the problem is real.

🏆 WHO WILL HOST THE 2029 WORLD CUP?

The Club World Cup in the United States is only halfway through, but for the 2029 edition, FIFA is already at work, and the countries ready to host the tournament are not lacking. Brazil has officially announced its candidacy, while Spain and Morocco have also expressed interest in hosting the tournament individually.

Added to these is Qatar, ready to relaunch after the success of the 2022 World Cup. As reported by the Guardian, the emirate has already presented its proposal, guaranteeing the organization of a tournament with zero carbon emissions.

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

📸 Alex Grimm - 2025 Getty Images