Mumbai, June 29: Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca criticized FIFA for holding the Club World Cup in the United States after his club's match against Benfica on Saturday was delayed for two hours due to lightning and took nearly five hours to complete. Fans were told to vacate the seating bowl of Bank of America Stadium with four minutes left in regulation, although it never rained at the venue. Chelsea went on to beat Benfica 4-1 in extra time. FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Christopher Nkunku’s Extra-Time Goal Sparks Chelsea To Weather-Delayed 4–1 Win Over Benfica (Watch Goal Video Highlights).

If “they are already suspending six, seven eight games, probably there is something that is not working well,” Maresca said, adding that the United States “is not the right place to do this competition.”

Enzo Maresca Post Match Press Conference

Extreme heat has been an issue throughout the tournament, with temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) at some venues during daytime matches scheduled to accommodate European television audiences. Several matches have been delayed by rain.

After the lengthy delay on Saturday, Benfica made a late push and scored the equalizer on a stoppage-time penalty. Chelsea captain Reece James said players “had to sit and wait for a long period, and it's quite disruptive.” FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Paulinho Scores in Extra Time To Give Palmeiras 1–0 Win Over Botafogo (Watch Goal Video Highlights).

With the expanded Club World Cup serving as a dry run for next year's 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, FIFA has been criticized over pitch conditions and match scheduling as well as its handling of the weather.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)