The Benfica vs Auckland City match, part of the second round in Group C at the 2025 Club World Cup, was temporarily stopped right after halftime because a strong lightning storm hit the area around Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium in the U.S. The organizers confirmed the game will resume at 3:05 p.m. local time (9:05 p.m. CET / 7:05 p.m. GMT) after almost two hours of delay.

The bad weather had been forecasted, and it hit hard during the final minutes of the first half with heavy rain. Following U.S. outdoor sports safety protocols, play can’t continue until at least 30 minutes have passed since the last nearby lightning strike.

Fourth match affected by weather in this tournament

This is the fourth match at the 2025 Club World Cup to be interrupted due to bad weather. Earlier games between Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan Hyundai, Salzburg vs Pachuca, and Palmeiras against Al Ahly were also delayed. The Salzburg-Pachuca break lasted an hour and 45 minutes.

When the match went to the break, Benfica held a 1-0 lead thanks to a penalty scored by Argentine Ángel Di María in stoppage time. The Portuguese side dominated the first half and will look to lock in the three points once play resumes. Meanwhile, fans were asked to leave the stands temporarily and seek shelter for their safety. Drainage and field inspections are underway to ensure the pitch is in good shape for the restart.

The weather issues have forced FIFA to adjust logistics across several matches, raising concerns among teams about how these unexpected breaks might affect their physical and mental performance during such a tough competition.