Real Madrid's Media Day Canceled: Thunderstorms Delay Club World Cup Arrival

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA - On July 9, 2025, the FIFA Club World Cup continues to face challenges as Real Madrid’s media commitments before their highly anticipated semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain were scrapped due to significant travel disruptions caused by thunderstorms. According to realtotal.de, players Thibaut Courtois, Federico Valverde, and Jacobo Ramón, along with their coach, Xabi Alonso, were all set to address the media at 1:30 PM CEST at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium. Unfortunately, their flight from Palm Beach to Newark was delayed until 11 PM CEST due to adverse weather conditions.

The situation turned precarious as the plane circled near Washington, D.C., waiting for a break in the storm, ultimately causing a backlog of flights landing in New Jersey. Real Madrid’s players had earlier celebrated their victory over Borussia Dortmund at the same venue, returning briefly to their hotel in Palm Beach Gardens, located 120 kilometers from Miami, before the semifinal match. They’re currently stationed at the Four Seasons Downtown hotel, a mere 13 kilometers from the stadium, poised for the next round of the tournament.

Weather Woes for FIFA

But it’s not just Real Madrid feeling the heat—quite literally. The entire tournament is overshadowed by extreme weather concerns. As flashscore.de reports, temperatures are expected to approach 40 degrees Celsius for matches, particularly concerning for teams like FC Bayern, scheduled to play in blistering conditions. Their third group match on July 11 in Charlotte, North Carolina, will see a „feels-like“ temperature of 41 degrees, illustrating just how high the stakes—and the temperatures—are.

Moreover, severe weather has already led to disruptions throughout the tournament. With ten upcoming matches under heat warnings and several matches in the past experiencing delays—from 40 minutes to over two hours—FIFA is on alert. Climate activists from Fossil Free Football have raised alarms regarding player and fan safety, questioning the measures taken by FIFA amid the rising temperatures, particularly after Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente noted the discomfort caused by the heat during a match against PSG.

The Broader Picture

This is not a one-off incident. The FIFA Club World Cup has faced serious issues with weather disruptions since it kicked off last month in the U.S. As highlighted by forbes.com, delays due to severe weather have been pervasive, affecting matches from June and leading to concerns about the upcoming 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, which will span across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. It’s noted that events like these may require organizers to consider fan comfort and player safety more seriously.

The increasing frequency of thunderstorms in summer months, as noted in the report, compounded by climate change, raises questions about the future of outdoor sporting events in the U.S. Florida, known as the „lightning capital“ of the nation, recorded over 2,000 lightning injuries in the last 50 years, highlighting the urgent need for re-evaluating operational protocols.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on how FIFA addresses these pressing weather challenges while maintaining the integrity and excitement of the beautiful game. Indeed, with increasing economic implications due to climate change affecting sponsorship and attendance, action needs to be taken to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all participants and fans alike.