Extreme heat and thunderstorm: Club World Cup fights against the weather!

Extreme heat and thunderstorm: Club World Cup fights against the weather!

In the current club world championship in the USA, the focus is on extreme weather conditions, which have already led to several game interruptions. According to Laola1 Five games had to be interrupted because of storms, including the game between Auckland and Boca Juniors, which was pausing for almost an hour. The encounter between RB Salzburg and CF Pachuca was particularly affected - here the game rested over an hour and a half.

Such extreme weather conditions are not uncommon. Meteorologist Ben Schott from the National Weather Service (NWS) confirms that the tense conditions are typical of American summer. FIFA has therefore introduced special regulations that reach for the stadium in the event of thunderstorms within a radius of 10 miles (approx. 16 km). In the event of such interruptions, players have to go to the cabins, while the spectators are looking for protection in the stadium or in the surrounding areas.

heat and thunderstorm as a constant threat

The influence of the weather conditions is serious. In Charlotte, North Carolina, where the third preliminary round game of Bayern is due, temperatures of felt 41 degrees are expected. The Bank of America Stadium hardly offers shadows, which increases the strain for the players. On Sunday, the players of Real Madrid and CF Pachuca also had to compete under similar conditions where felt 38 degrees were reported.

like Football dates, not only have been interrupted. Several games had to begin due to storms later, including Mamelodi Sundowns against Ulsan HD and Benfica against Auckland City, which each started with more than two hours. FIFA observes the situation carefully and has declared the health of everyone involved as the top priority.

climate change and extreme weather events are also a significant challenge for future sporting events. Experts and climate activists express concerns about FIFA's security measures and the conditions under which the games are played. For example, the hockey national player Nike Lorenz recently reported unpredictable weather conditions that also affect large sporting events such as the Olympic Games. According to a report by Deutschlandfunk , the need for better protected sports facilities and clear criteria for competition interruptions could increasingly come into focus.

The FIFA is already working on weather plans for the upcoming 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. This also includes the provision of weather forecasts in several languages ​​in order to be better prepared for foreign fans. Together with FIFA, the NWS has developed a weather hazard plan that brings up potential threats in the World Cup cities and should thus ensure the safety of players and spectators.

It becomes clear that the influence of the weather is not only a challenge for the current club world championship, but will also be of crucial importance for the organization of future sporting events.