Temporary Shutdown at Club World Cup: Severe Storm Warnings Prompt Evacuation
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Spectators are to vacate their seating areas immediately.
When it came to the thrilling 2-0 (0:0) clash between Palmeiras, Brazil, and Al-Ahly, Egypt, at the Club World Cup in the US, a surprising twist took center stage. In Group A, this high-stakes matchup also featured FIFA legend Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and FC Porto. Al-Ahly's Abdou Ali's own goal (49') and Jose Manuel Lopez's brilliant strike (59') handed Palmeiras an early lead in Group A, making them the front-runners with four points from two games after a few draws.
However, the game between Palmeiras and Al-Ahly in New Jersey hit a weather-related snag, resulting in a stadium evacuation due to a severe storm warning. With spectators and players at East Rutherford hurriedly leaving the field and stands, the 2026 FIFA World Cup final venue, MetLife Stadium, saw an unexpected interruption.
Remarkably, the looming storm blew over the MetLife Stadium, allowing the game to restart about 50 minutes later. The day before, yet another match, RB Salzburg vs CF Pachuca, had been temporarily halted due to harsh weather.
Towering Weather Woes
Yes, you heard that right! The unexpected storm forces sports lovers to scramble. But fret not, as the referee, Anthony Taylor, took prompt action upon receiving weather warnings, asking both teams to retreat to their respective locker rooms for safety. The weather alert required stadium authorities to issue urgent safety announcements, urging fans, commentators, and media members to seek shelter inside stadium concourses[1][2][4][5].
Once the lightning storm moved beyond a 10-kilometer safety radius, meteorologists gave the all-clear, enabling the much-anticipated match to continue[1][4]. This weather-induced pause marked the second time during that year's Club World Cup events that such a disruption happened, illustrating the strict priority given to safety in the face of lightning threats.
Fifa
- Club World Cup 2025
- Football
- USA
[1] ntv.de[2] tno/dpa/sid[4] wsj.com[5] bbc.com
The Commission has also been consulted on the potential impact of severe weather incidents during major football events, such as the Club World Cup, considering the recent disruptions in 2025. Despite the halt of the football match between Palmeiras and Al-Ahly due to a storm, the Champions League and European leagues continue to be under active discussion by the governing body.
