Group C of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 kicked off on Friday with the match between Benfica and Auckland City. Unfortunately, the game was momentarily suspended at halftime—and here’s why.
Benfica faced Auckland City in Orlando for Matchday 2 of Group C. The Portuguese side went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, but neither team returned to the pitch for the second half.
The referees determined that weather conditions were unsafe to resume play, as a thunderstorm was approaching the area and would not allow the match to continue.
Why was the Benfica–Auckland City match interrupted?
At halftime, stadium screens at Exploria Stadium announced that a severe thunderstorm was approaching the area. As a result, the referees decided to suspend the match momentarily for safety reasons.
The interruption was temporary, as conditions didn’t improve quickly. The match continued after a two-hour pause to play the last 45 minutes.
By halftime, Benfica leads 1-0 against Auckland City thanks to a goal from Angel Di Maria. The Argentine winger scored from the penalty spot after the referee awarded a penalty late in the first half.
A potential win would place Benfica at the top of Group C with four points. However, they could still lose that spot depending on the result of the match between Bayern Munich and Boca Juniors, scheduled for Friday at 9 PM ET.
