Photo: Gregory Harutunian
Rainout at Audi Football Summit at Lambeau Field July 2022
Rainout at Audi Football Summit at Lambeau Field
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game for Manchester City at the 11:48 mark to best Munich Bayern 1-0, before a record crowd of 78,128 Saturday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. However, lightning warnings halted the contest three times and included a bludgeoning rainstorm that caused a nearly one-hour delay.
The much-anticipated “Audi Football Summit” brought two of the world’s top clubs to the home of the Packers, attracting fans and attention internationally. The United States is one of the host countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, and the contest was meant to whet the appetite for soccer.
It could be said that the Lambeau Field groundskeepers may have tempted the fates by turning on sprinklers to spray the synthetic turf, prior to the 6 p.m. match. No sooner had the teams warmed up than they were pulled, and fans urged to seek shelter in the concourses, because of a lightning advisory.
Upon returning, and warming up again, the match’s start found both clubs sluggish and unable to connect on plays. A Munich shot hit the side of the net, and a Manchester goal was disallowed through an offside call.
Haaland, making his City debut, pushed a straight-in shot for a 1-0 city lead, with Jack Grealish and Kevin DeBruyne assisting. The match was called at the 12:38 mark, for another lightning advisory.
Torrents of Rain
This time, the clouds opened with torrents of rain swirling and funneling their way through the bowl of the stadium. Water partially flooded the tunnel entrance, while fans on the north end stayed in their seats and enjoyed the wet conditions. A Manchester official indicated an 8 p.m. curfew to accommodate travel arrangements for both clubs might cancel the match.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
State, county, and local law enforcement monitored the north end fans, on the possibility of “hooliganism” and charging the field. A Brown County sheriff’s deputy surveyed the sheets of rain and fans in the north bleachers mimicking a Woodstock experience, while peering out from the lower-level tunnel. “Now this is what I call … an event,” he said.
The monsoon-like storm lasted 50 minutes and endured one streaking fan being corralled, before the two clubs were allowed onto the field again. Officials announced the match would be shortened to 40-minute halves, causing a ripple of boos.
The game mostly stayed in the Munich end for the rest of the first half, with Manchester seemingly setting up plays at will. “Manchester is an industrial city, and rain means nothing to this club,” said Geoffrey Denis, a Manchester media member.
The match finally gained momentum in the last half, with replacement players and fast-paced action that fans had been hoping to witness. Munich advanced on the forward press several times to set up scoring chances that sailed through the City goal crease.
Yellow cards for infractions were handed out, and City’s Grealish was knocked down in a scramble for the ball, with time expiring. The penalty kick was blocked by the Munich wall, which appeared to be closer than the allotted 10 yards from the net.
The whistle at the 80-minute mark ending the contest drew boos from the crowd. “This was a complete sell-out for seats, and 50,000 tickets went in the first week alone,” said Diana Lopez, of CMN Sports, which organized the contest. “We partnered with the Packers to help promote soccer in the United States, and fans came from around the world.”
Munich Bayern has won consecutive Bundeslige titles since 2013, and Manchester City is the champion of the Premier League, two of the top-ten teams in the world. Both squads were contacted nearly two years in advance to coordinate their appearance in Green Bay.
“The promoter reaches out to the teams, and from that point, the logistics are worked out,” said Tom Figueroa, of Figueroa Sports Consultants. “My role is the assistant venue manager for this event covering stadium operations and match operations, as well.”
Considering its one-off nature, Figueroa knew why CMN Sports picked Green Bay. “It’s Lambeau Field, home of the Packers … it’s historic.”
