“This Is Not Football”—Enzo Maresca Slams Club World Cup Chaos After Chelsea’s Wild Win Over Benfica

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was very furious after his side’s dramatic 4-1 win over Benfica, criticising FIFA and the Club World Cup organisers over the chaos caused by weather delays — and questioning whether the U.S. is truly ready to host major tournaments.

The match, held at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, lasted nearly five hours from kickoff to the final whistle, including a one hour and 53-minute delay due to a thunderstorm. The long pause came with Chelsea leading 1-0 thanks to a clever free-kick from Reece James and totally controlling the game.

But the lengthy break threw Chelsea off balance, allowing Benfica to equalise in added time and force extra time — something Maresca believes never should’ve happened.

“For me personally, it’s not football. You cannot be inside for two hours,” Maresca said.
“If you suspend six or seven games, then probably this is not the right place to do this competition.”

This was the sixth match in the tournament to suffer a weather stoppage — some even before kickoff — and Maresca’s words added more pressure on FIFA with just one year to go until the 2026 World Cup, also hosted across North America.

With just minutes remaining in regular time and Chelsea comfortably ahead, the game was abruptly halted as storms rolled into the Charlotte area. US safety rules required all players, staff, and fans to seek shelter once lightning was detected within eight miles of the stadium.

Chelsea’s players were reportedly furious, with defenders Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, and Tosin Adarabioyo visibly frustrated. Maresca also shared that it was nearly impossible to keep players mentally ready during the wait.

“People are speaking with family, eating, laughing, playing games on their phones — how do you keep them focused? It’s a joke,” Maresca said.

Reece James also admitted the stop ruined the flow of the game:

“It was quite disruptive. Lots of substitutions, trying to get warm and stay warm. The weather was hot and humid — it was tough.”

After Benfica equalised via an Angel Di Maria penalty, Chelsea regained control in extra time — thanks to a red card for Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni. Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all scored in the extra period to seal the win.

While Maresca praised the Club World Cup as a competition, he was clear that the location raised serious concerns.

“In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Probably zero. In Europe? Zero,” he said. “But here, in two weeks, we’ve had six or seven.”

The manager also pointed to training difficulties at Chelsea’s base in Philadelphia, calling the conditions “impossible” due to extreme heat.

Chelsea’s clash with Benfica wasn’t the only disrupted game. Similar delays have affected matches in New Jersey, Cincinnati, Orlando, and Nashville, raising questions over venue planning and FIFA’s choice of summer scheduling.

FIFA responded by stating:

“Due to adverse weather conditions in Charlotte, including the risk of lightning, the match has been suspended. The match will resume as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

FIFA technical lead Arsène Wenger admitted:

“It’s not ideal. You want the flow of the game from the first to the last minute, but security comes first.”

After surviving the storm — literally and figuratively — Chelsea move on to face Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-finals.

But Maresca’s comments have sparked a bigger debate: with the 2026 World Cup featuring 48 teams in the middle of North American summer, are FIFA and their host cities truly prepared for the challenges that lie ahead?