Maresca questions US hosting Club World Cup

Enzo Maresca responded, “This is not football,” when asked how the one-hour-53-minute stoppage had an impact on Chelsea’s 53-minute game against Benfica in the Club World Cup.

One year before the 2026 World Cup is held across North America, the manager questioned whether the US was a suitable host for Fifa events like the Club World Cup.

Chelsea may have defeated Benfica 4-1 to advance to the quarter-finals, but it was the sixth game to be postponed as a result of the summertime thunderstorms.

Chelsea, who had not conceded a shot on target and advanced through Reece James’ creative free-kick, looked to lose the match they looked set to win.

“We had the upper hand for 85 minutes.” We created enough chances to win the game, not by giving up. After the break, the game completely changed, Maresca said, referring to a momentum shift that Angel di Maria equalized from the penalty spot.

It’s not football for me personally. For two hours, you can’t stay inside. It is entirely new. You must suspend the game for security reasons, I get it. However, if you suspend six or seven games, it’s likely not the best place to hold this competition.

Due to extreme weather, in this case because thunderstorms were found within an eight-mile radius of the venue, in accordance with US safety regulations, players, staff, and supporters were immediately withdrawn from the field.

With the dismissal of Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall allowing the match to go on for four hours, 38 minutes, starting at the end, Chelsea took control again in extra time.

Maresca continued, “This is fantastic competition,” when asked where exactly his anger was directed. We are thrilled to be in the last eight of the Club World Cup because it is so popular.

With only five minutes left before the end of normal time, Chelsea players Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, and Tosin Adarabioyo were furious when they were pulled off the field.

Players re-enter the Bank of America Stadium’s operations and dressing room areas to do kick-ups and cycle on exercise bikes to keep their muscles warm.

Maresca explained the mood and how it affected performance, explaining that “people speak with the family outside [to check] if they were good with the security. On their mobile devices, people are eating, laughing, and conversing. Two hours passed. That’s why I said it wasn’t football.

When you’re in the game’s flow, James continued, “It was quite disruptive.” Making numerous substitutions as needed to stay warm. The weather was challenging and the weather was humid.

Benfica had another two-hour stoppage that delayed the start of their match against Auckland City, making it the second-longest stoppage of the tournament.

Due to heavy rain and storms, there have been six other similar stoppages in five different cities, including the one in Orlando that Mamelodi Sundowns against Ulsan HD.

And there were lengthy pauses in the second half of Boca Juniors vs. Auckland City in Nashville (50 minutes), Palmeiras vs. Al-Ahly in New Jersey (40 minutes), and Salzburg vs. Pachuca in Cincinnati (90 minutes).

One of the many teams that have experienced extreme heat is Chelsea. A regular training session at their previous base in Philadelphia was “impossible,” according to Maresca.

Many of the best stadiums in the US and Canada do not have roofs, like Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In addition to the Club World Cup, Vancouver, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Toronto are covered for the following summer’s World Cup. Atlanta is the only ground chosen with a covered roof.

The expansion of that competition, however, to 48 teams, means these events are most likely to occur in the summer of next year.

Possible solutions include putting the World Cup on hold in the winter months, as Qatar did in 2022, but severe cold is also a problem in some parts of the US and Canada.

Arsene Wenger, the head of Fifa’s technical study group, addressed stoppages from its Miami base.

He said, “You want the game to flow from the beginning to the end, but you also have to put security first when you organize a competition.”

The Fifa Club World Cup match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC has been suspended due to bad weather conditions in Charlotte, including the possibility of lightning in the area of Bank of America Stadium, according to a statement from Fifa at the time of the incident. The match will resume as soon as it is safe, and Fifa will adhere to the established safety standards.