It’s not every day you see a European coach go straight to the heart of a problem right after a dominant win. But that’s exactly what Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca did after beating Benfica 4-1 at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Instead of focusing on the performance, his attention turned to what happened behind the scenes. The nearly two-hour stoppage due to lightning threats in Charlotte took center stage. For Maresca, that changes everything. “It’s not the same game because it breaks the rhythm. Players start talking to family, people are running around, they grab their phones. It’s something that shouldn’t happen, and it’s hard to understand.”
It’s not just about one game anymore
His frustration wasn’t just about that one match. He made it clear these pauses have become a pattern. “This is the sixth or seventh match stopped. It’s something new, and hard to get. I understand it’s for safety reasons, but if you’re suspending six, seven or eight matches, maybe this isn’t the place to host the competition.”
Maresca’s criticism went deeper than it seemed. He wasn’t just talking about Chelsea. He was questioning whether the United States is truly ready to host a World Cup.
And this wasn’t some random outburst. The match was stopped while Chelsea led 1-0 and had full control. When play resumed, Benfica quickly equalized with a penalty converted by Di María. The game went to extra time. For Maresca, that wasn’t just coincidence. “It’s not random that for 85 minutes they had no chances, and then they scored. That shows it had an effect. When you stop like that, it’s not soccer anymore. It’s something else.”
Beyond the technical side, there’s the entertainment factor. A top-level international tournament simply can’t be defined by games that get interrupted for hours. It’s not just the team that loses rhythm, the entire stadium experience becomes uncertain. Fans who bought tickets and made plans came to watch soccer, not stare at a weather update from NOAA on the screen.
A warning sign before the World Cup spotlight
In the U.S., the Emergency Alert System (EAS) is responsible for automatically issuing weather alerts. When there’s a lightning risk, play stops immediately. The referee checks with the match director and has full authority to clear the field. The decision is made out of caution, which is understandable. But for soccer as a global product, it’s a serious headache, especially because this kind of disruption just doesn’t happen in Europe or even South America.
Maresca wasn’t attacking the idea of safety. He made it clear he gets the point. But watching match after match interrupted doesn’t sit right with him. A game broken up by a two-hour delay loses its soul. The pace, the emotion and they vanish. And that’s a real problem, one that needs attention before 2026.
The Club World Cup was supposed to be a showcase. FIFA wants to prove it can host a global tournament in the U.S. again. But what people saw was a string of games disrupted by weather alerts. Now the big question is unavoidable: what if this happens during the World Cup?