The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 has been marred by a series of weather-related interruptions, with the latest incident seeing the Group C match between Argentine giants Boca Juniors and New Zealand’s Auckland City FC suspended on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. The game, held at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee, was halted early in the second half due to a severe lightning storm, posing a significant safety risk to players and staff.
Referee Glenn Nyberg made the decision to send both teams to their respective locker rooms in the 53rd minute, with the score tied at 1-1. Boca Juniors had taken the lead in the 26th minute courtesy of an own goal by Auckland City’s Nathan Garrow. However, Auckland City, despite their underdog status, managed to equalize in the 52nd minute through Christian Gray, assisted by Jerson Lagos, just moments before play was brought to a standstill. ESPN’s gamecast and BBC Sport’s live commentary confirmed the score and the timing of the suspension.
For Boca Juniors, this match was crucial for their hopes of advancing to the Round of 16. Having previously drawn 2-2 against Benfica and suffered a defeat to Bayern Munich, the Argentine side desperately needed a victory to keep their qualification chances alive. Their progression also hinged on Bayern Munich defeating Benfica in their simultaneous Group C fixture. However, as the match in Nashville remained paused, Bolavip reported that Benfica secured a win over Bayern Munich. This result propelled Benfica to the top of Group C, clinching their spot in the knockout stage and, consequently, eliminating Boca Juniors from the tournament, regardless of the outcome of their suspended match against Auckland City.
Auckland City, representing the Oceania Football Confederation, had already been eliminated from the competition prior to this match, following two heavy defeats: a 0-10 thrashing by Bayern Munich and a 0-6 loss to Benfica. Despite their eventual collapse in the Benfica game, the NZ Herald noted their resilient first-half performance, with goalkeeper Nathan Garrow making several key saves.
The suspension of the Boca Juniors vs. Auckland City match is not an isolated incident at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. The tournament has seen multiple games affected by adverse weather conditions across various venues in the United States. Just days prior, Auckland City’s Matchday 2 encounter against Benfica in Orlando, Florida, experienced a two-hour delay to the start of the second half due to similar storm conditions. Other matches impacted include Red Bull Salzburg vs. Pachuca on June 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio, which was held up for 97 minutes, and Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly on June 19 in New Jersey, paused for nearly 45 minutes. On the same day as the Boca-Auckland suspension, the Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Ulsan HD game was also delayed for over an hour before kickoff due to a weather alert.
These repeated interruptions highlight the challenges of hosting a major international football tournament during the summer months in the United States, where severe thunderstorms are common. Public safety protocols in the U.S. mandate that outdoor sports events must be suspended for at least 30 minutes if lightning is detected or thunder is heard within a 30-mile radius of the stadium. While the BBC reported an intention for the Boca Juniors vs. Auckland City match to resume after a warm-up period, the broader context of Benfica’s victory rendered its continuation largely symbolic for Boca’s tournament fate.
