World Club Cup: Hot weather causes problems as Dortmund bench hide from sun inside locker room

Femi Fabunmi

Very hot weather is causing big problems at the Club World Cup. During Borussia Dortmund’s game against Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, the temperature reached 32°C at TQL Stadium.

Dortmund manager Niko Kovac said he was “sweating like I’ve just come out of a sauna” after the match. To stay cool, Dortmund’s substitute players stayed inside the dressing room during the first half. In the second half, they sat on the bench under umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun.

“Our subs watched the first half from inside the locker room to avoid the blazing sun – never seen that before, but in this heat, it makes sense,” the club posted on social media.

Kovac had already spoken about the heat before the match, which started at noon. “It was hard for both teams, but the other team is more used to hot weather,” he said.

The hot weather has been affecting other games too. On Friday, a match was delayed because of thunderstorms — the fourth delay in the tournament so far.

And it may get worse. A heatwave is expected to continue next week, making it even harder for teams to play in the middle of the day.

The organizers of the tournament adjusted the timing of the matches due to time difference and for TV viewers to be able to watch.