Heatwave raises safety concerns as Benfica upsets Bayern Munich in Charlotte
Cramping, suffering, sweating. Maybe some more cramping.
That was Bayern Munich’s reality after 90 minutes of surviving the heat Tuesday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium, where temperatures soared 30 degrees higher than Munich’s average summer peaks.
Players couldn’t fight it. There was nothing they could do except to try and stay hydrated and play through it. The heat was incessant.
Even goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, who earned Man of the Match honors, could only think about the weather and how it wore him out.
“It was extremely hot,” Trubin said. “But we did our job.”
Benfica upset Bayern Munich, 1-0, in Charlotte during the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup on Tuesday afternoon. This marks the first time Benfica has beaten Bayern Munich in program history.
The two clubs also played during a heatwave wave that has settled in along the East Coast. The match started at 3 p.m., with the squads squaring off in what felt like 105-degree weather, with temperatures peaking at 97. This game is the second of four matches Charlotte will host this month.
All of this is part of a trial run ahead of the World Cup, which will take place across North America in July 2026. The competition appeals to both American and European audiences. The games are on United States’ soil, and the times are on a European schedule.
But appealing to both audiences has led to an unintended consequence: clubs playing in conditions many have never encountered before.
The National Weather Service in Charlotte issued a heat advisory on Tuesday until 8 p.m. Wednesday, urging people to take precautions while outside. The advisory suggested limiting strenuous activity from early morning to evening, wearing lightweight and loose-fitting clothing and staying out of the sun.
And while Tuesday was hot, Wednesday is expected to reach 100 degrees, with a heat index of 110, according to NWS.
FIFA has regulations for extreme weather to counter the heat. If the wet-bulb temperature is higher than 89.6 degrees, there are mandatory cooling breaks around the 35th and 75th minutes. The breaks are no longer than three minutes.
Besides the cooling breaks and potential delays, FIFA has no other rules concerning extreme weather. The organization encourages clubs to use heat acclimation, cooling methods and staying hydrated. During Tuesday’s game, Bayern’s substitutes stayed in the locker rooms instead of on the benches.
The hot weather is being felt across the U.S., including where other FIFA Cup matches were played. Borussia Dortmund played in TQL Stadium in Cincinnati Sunday, where temperatures near 90 degrees pushed the German team to move its substitute players indoors.
The team posted on X, writing, “Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun at TQL Stadium — never seen that before, but in this heat, it absolutely makes sense.”
The subs watched the game on a small TV in the locker room with cold drinks positioned in the middle of the room.
In Charlotte, the Mecklenburg Emergency Medical Services Agency spent weeks preparing for the event to protect fans. The agency deployed its special operations team around the stadium. Utility task and mass casualty vehicles were ready. Information on how to avoid heat illnesses was posted to social media sites and shown on different media platforms that Mecklenburg partners with.
“It can create a challenging environment for us,” Lester Oliva, public information specialist and paramedic, said. “And so, these people are gonna call 911, and if we don’t have these special operation assets here to help take some of that pressure off, it becomes a challenge for everybody.”
Still, in an open-air stadium with almost no shade, players and fans had to endure. People in attendance fled to the concourse during halftime and cooling breaks. During short stoppages, players worked to catch their breath with their hands on their knees. They tried to cool off with wet towels or anything that might provide temporary relief.
During the 39th minute, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni went down without contact. Trainers gave him towels, water and ice. There was constant treatment for players on the sidelines.
“You could tell it was really tough conditions,” Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany said.
Temperatures will remain in the 90s during the next two games in Charlotte. Teams, fans and organizers will continue to take precautions, even as concerns about the heat and people’s safety grow with the World Cup inching closer.
This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Heatwave raises safety concerns as Benfica upsets Bayern Munich in Charlotte."
