Weather Delays Manchester City’s Friendly Against Chelsea in Ohio
COLUMBUS, OHIO – AUGUST 03: For the third time this summer, Manchester City’s pre-season fixture in the USA has been delayed by a weather warning, this time at Ohio Stadium.
Manchester City’s friendly against Chelsea was briefly evacuated due to lightning strikes around the Ohio Stadium. A sudden storm drenched fans arriving at the 100,000-capacity stadium in Columbus about two hours before kick-off, prompting a weather warning displayed on the big screens inside the venue.
This delay followed similar weather disruptions during City’s pre-season tour. At Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, a match against Celtic faced weather-related issues, and the clash with Barcelona in Orlando was delayed by 80 minutes due to a storm at Camping World Stadium.
Despite the weather, preparations at Ohio Stadium appeared to proceed smoothly. City arrived and inspected the pitch while ground staff continued their work. The warning message read: “Lightning has been detected in the area. Please shelter in place. Thanks for your patience and cooperation.”
After a brief delay, fans were allowed back into the stadium, and City players returned to inspect the pitch, mingling with Chelsea players ahead of the match. The kick-off time, scheduled for 10:30 PM UK time, remained unaffected.
