⛈️ Weather warning, World Cup in trouble! Fifa alerted: clubs are fuming 😡 | OneFootball

Lightning did not strike the stadiums hosting the Club World Cup in the United States, but FIFA, which found itself at the center of controversy after the absurd suspension of the quarterfinal match between Chelsea and Benfica.

Match interruptions for security reasons are sacred - it goes without saying -, but the question that arises spontaneously after so many "plot twists" is this: does it make sense to play in a country at risk? This was also asked by the Blues' coach, Enzo Maresca, who 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 security reasons, a match should be suspended. But if six or seven 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 90', with Chelsea leading 1-0. The teams returned to the locker rooms and the stadium was evacuated due to the arrival of a storm, according to safety protocols. Two hours later, after the emergency was over, 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 an attack and found the 1-1 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 European Championship? None. Here, however, it is, and it's a problem".

In extra time, Chelsea reacted and closed the match with a clear 4-1, flying to the quarterfinals. But the episode left evident aftermath: 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.

Here is the reformulation of the text, maintaining all the concepts but with a more fluid and professional structure:

🏆 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 running individually.

Added to these is also 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 dioxide emissions.

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

📸 Alex Grimm - 2025 Getty Images