The Euro 2024 knockout match between host nation Germany and Denmark was temporarily halted on Saturday evening as a violent thunderstorm hit Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund with rain, hail, and lightning.
English referee Michael Oliver stopped the match after 35 minutes with the game at 0-0, taking the players off the field. The weather conditions included torrential rain, high winds, and repeated lightning strikes near the stadium.
A loud bang echoed around the stadium shortly before the players were removed from the pitch. Hail was also falling, contrasting sharply with the previously warm summer evening.
“Due to adverse weather conditions, the match has been suspended. Further information will follow shortly,” read an announcement on the stadium screens.
After a 24-minute interruption, the weather cleared, and the teams had a brief warm-up before play resumed. Despite the slippery conditions, the field remained playable for the rest of the game.
Germany eventually secured a 2-0 victory, earning a place in the quarter-finals where they will face Spain or Georgia in Stuttgart on July 5.
During the suspension, fans in the front rows of the stadium’s famed South Stand moved undercover as the gale blew torrents of rain onto their seats and water cascaded off the roof. Some German fans sang, “Oh, how lovely it is,” while a few Danish supporters danced in the downpour.
Local police reported that two big-screen viewing parties in Dortmund fan zones were cancelled due to the weather, advising attendees to leave. Additionally, two more fan zone events in nearby Gelsenkirchen were called off as strong winds damaged fences and hurled objects through the air, though no injuries were reported.
Severe weather has often posed challenges for UEFA and European Championship organizers more so than for FIFA and the World Cup. Past incidents include a 2008 group-stage game between co-host Switzerland and Turkey played through heavy rain in Basel, and a 2012 match between Ukraine and France in Donetsk, stopped for 56 minutes due to rain. Euro 2016 also saw a game between Northern Ireland and Ukraine suspended by a hailstorm in Lyon.
These weather disruptions often lead to logistical challenges, including rescheduling subsequent matches. In 2008, UEFA had to relay the playing surface at St. Jakob Park in Basel at a cost of €200,000 after heavy rain damaged the turf.
Despite these disruptions, Germany’s victory over Denmark ensures their continued quest for Euro 2024 glory, with their next challenge set against a formidable opponent in the quarterfinals.
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