Severe weather struck again at the FIFA Club World Cup, as Palmeiras’ clash with Al Ahly was temporarily suspended due to lightning at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Fans were ordered to leave the seating area and seek shelter inside the venue midway through the second half.
Palmeiras were 2-0 up when referee Anthony Taylor halted play just after the hour mark. A stadium-wide announcement flashed across the big screens, directing attendees to evacuate the stands:
“For your safety, we are going to have everyone leave the Seating Bowl area and take shelter inside the stadium because of severe weather in the area.”
Players and staff were escorted to tunnels while fans were guided by event staff to indoor zones. After a delay of just over an hour, the match resumed at 7:15pm BST.
This marks the third weather-related disruption since the revamped Club World Cup kicked off in the United States. Earlier, Red Bull Salzburg’s fixture against Pachuca in Cincinnati and Mamelodi Sundowns’ meeting with Ulsan HD in Florida both suffered delays due to torrential rain and storms.
Safety regulations in the U.S. mandate a 30-minute suspension for any sporting event when lightning is detected nearby—a policy that’s come into play multiple times this week.
The MetLife Stadium, which will also be one of the key venues during the 2026 World Cup, hosted a largely empty crowd, continuing a worrying trend of poor attendance throughout the tournament. The Salzburg vs Pachuca game drew just 5,282 fans at a 26,000-seat stadium, while only 3,142 attended Sundowns vs Ulsan HD.
Despite the atmospheric interruptions, Manchester City and Chelsea—Premier League’s Club World Cup representatives—have so far avoided similar delays.
The Club World Cup is being seen as a trial run for next year’s World Cup across the US, Mexico, and Canada, though teething issues with weather and low turnout are raising eyebrows ahead of the global showpiece.