FIFA Club World Cup
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Severe weather in Charlotte, North Carolina has suspended the Club World Cup round of 16 match between Chelsea and Benfica late in the second half.
Chelsea are leading 1-0 thanks to Reece James' goal from a direct free kick in the 64th minute. The match was suspended in the 86th minute.
The winner of this match advances to the quarter-final to face Palmeiras.
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Schott’s biggest concern looking ahead to next year is making sure that those involved are doing their best to inform the public of any risks posed by extreme weather in the U.S., and ensuring forecasts are delivered efficiently with as much notice as possible. That’s especially important for international fans who may be unfamiliar with the nuances of an American summer. To reach them, the agency has plans to translate their forecasts into all the FIFA-approved languages.
“We want to make sure that we work with the FIFA folks so they can make sure they pass those threats along. A lot of folks are coming in, and they may not be as legible of North American weather and the time of year,” Schott said. “Severe weather, heavy rain, significant heat, are all dangerous threats that we have to put up with here and in North America. It’s just (about) working with them to make sure that they understand that these things are going to be possible next year.”
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Next summer, the National Weather Service will also have meteorologists in each city who will work closely with local leaders, Schott said. Their main goal as a federal agency being to protect “life and property.” He explained that FIFA, meanwhile, will likely have its own meteorologist who will prioritize forecasting related to players and the tournament.
“We do have meteorologists that are working in each of those cities with officials who are planning the events, both Club (World) Cup and World Cup,” Schott said. “So, there are folks, and have been behind the scenes for the last few months, working with those officials to make sure that anybody attending a Club Cup event will be safe (and) will be protected from weather.”
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Expect Club World Cup delays to repeat next summer, says weather chief
In a country as massive as the United States, weather challenges vary from region to region. So, the National Weather Service has been working closely with FIFA’s safety and security chief to develop plans for all 11 U.S. cities preparing to host World Cup games next year.
“They’ve already developed a hazards weather plan that they presented to the FIFA officials, and it broke it down city by city, the threats that are possible in each of the cities that the World Cup will be participating in,” National Weather Service operations chief Ben Schott told The Athletic.
For anyone interested in the specifics, this is the sixth weather delay of this summer's Club World Cup — here they are:
“What you’re seeing right now is very typical. This is not unusual at all,” Ben Schott, operations chief with the National Weather Service, told The Athletic last week. “Next year, we may be going through the same thing.”
Schott, who was tapped by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent agency of the NWS, to be the agency’s World Cup planning team representative, has been keeping tabs on the Club World Cup and all the weather-related mishaps that have unraveled over the past week. Scott has been working closely with FIFA and organizers over the past eight months to prepare for next year, and is also overseeing his agency’s planning for the 2028 Olympics in L.A..
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Expect Club World Cup delays to repeat next summer, says weather chief
86' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea – weather delay
This has become a pretty regular theme of this Club World Cup over the last week or so.
The heatwave that we had on the east coast at the beginning of the week brought plenty of stormy weather and that forced a handful of group-stage matches to be suspended.
This is the first knockout match to be suspended and it is a delay that we weren't particularly prepared for.
It feels particularly annoying given there were only a few minutes left on the clock, but the safety of those inside Bank of America Stadium is paramount.
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86' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea – weather delay
The rules are very clear when there is a threat of a thunderstorm at the stadiums being used at this tournament.
Lightning within 10 miles (16.1km) of the stadium, the match is automatically suspended. The match director is told about it and then tells the referee to stop the game and take the players off the pitch and back to the changing rooms.
86' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea – weather delay
The message on the big screens at Bank of America reads, "Severe weather in the area, Seek cover."
86' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
Well, maybe those Benfica players will get the break they desperately need.
Boos around Bank of America Stadium as the threat of thunderstorms mean the players have had to leave the pitch.
There will be approximately just four minutes plus stoppage time when they return a little later on.
We will, of course, keep you updated on when they are likely to head back out.
86' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
The Benfica players do look strangely resigned to defeat despite only being one goal behind — the Kokcu yellow-card foul felt very much like a disgruntled player.
In all likelihood, it is probably the heat and humidity that has zapped the energy out of their legs.
83' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
This has been a frustrating afternoon for Kokcu on his return to the starting XI and it has been capped by a yellow card.
Neto showed some nice footwork to take the ball past him and the Turkey international just kicked the Chelsea winger up into the air.
Kokcu will miss the quarter-final if Benfica turn this game around.
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81' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
And that was Delap's last involvement in the game. An indifferent performance from him today and he has been replaced in attack by Christopher Nkunku.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Malo Gusto have both also come on, with Fernandez and James making way.
80' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
Chelsea thought momentarily that they had found the all-important second goal, but not quite.
A nice ball through the lines from Cucurella into Delap, but the new signing was very obviously offside. He took the ball around Trubin and finished very nicely, but even he seemed to know that he had gone too early.
No need for VAR to get the rulers out for that one.
76' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
One thing that has been very evident in today's game is that Chelsea's attack is still so far from being the finished product.
Palmer aside, it has looked particularly weak. Delap needs time, of course, but Neto and Fernandez have offered nothing in the way of support.
We saw the news that Chelsea had reached an agreement in principle for Dortmund's Jamie Gittens earlier, but I'm not sure than another young talent is what this team needs most at the moment.
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73' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
How's this for a stat?
Tosin Adarabioyo, just on as a sub for Chelsea in this game, is the oldest player to represent the club this season. Harrowingly for anyone older than him, he's only 27.
That says something about how youthful Enzo Maresca's team is.
72' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
The sun is being blocked out by some cloud cover in Charlotte, but it is still very hot out there.
It is just under 90F (33C) at the moment, so it is time for a cooling break. Both managers very keen to get instructions into their players at the same time.
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71' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
Having made that substitution, Chelsea are looking for the insurance goal.
Palmer looked like the man who might have been able to provide it but, after moving into space on the left wing, his effort was dragged wide of the far post.
69' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
I was critical of Badiashile in the first half, so it is only right that I give him credit where it is due.
Di Maria lifted an unbelievable cross-field pass over the Frenchman's head and right into the path of Pavlidis. Badiashile had a grab of the Greek striker's shirt before just easing him off the ball inside the penalty area and clearing the danger.
Good work from the Chelsea defender, but it looks like it was his last act of the match having picked up an injury of some description. It looks like Tosin Adarabioyo will take his place.
67' Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
A superbly executed free kick from James that took Trubin by surprise, beaten at his near post expecting the cross.