Sporting Kansas City announced that their first round Concacaf Champions Cup game on Tuesday against Miami has been postponed until Wednesday due to freezing temperatures.
The two teams were currently scheduled to kick off their seasons in the continental club competition, with the second leg on the calendar for next week at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium. However, Kansas City will be hit with wind chills and snow showers putting temperatures in the single digits on Tuesday. It could feel as low as -18 degrees Fahrenheit by the time the game was scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. local time, setting up for extremely harsh conditions for the players and anyone else in attendance.
“We know the clubs are in talks,” Mascherano said at a press conference on Monday. “We are waiting to see if there are any updates. As of right now, the game is scheduled for Tuesday.”
The cold conditions have inspired questions about Lionel Messi’s availability, especially with Miami’s MLS opener against New York City FC coming up on Saturday. Messi’s minutes will likely be managed over the course of the season, especially with Miami’s participation in the newly-expanded FIFA Club World Cup coming up in June, but Mascherano said the 37-year-old will be available on Tuesday.
He “will play,” Mascherano said briefly on Monday, offering no other specifics on how much game time he will receive.
The bigger question, though, was answered by Concacaf on Monday after both clubs inquired about a postponement, per the Miami Herald, with the game could be pushed to Wednesday. The high in Kansas City is supposed to be higher on Wednesday, up from five degrees to nine, though the low will drop from -2 degrees to -10.
Sporting leadership said Friday that the club would be prepared for the match regardless.
“Cold is one thing; we’ll see what the snow does,” CEO Jake Reid said, per the Kansas City Star. “We’ll be ready. Our concern is around safe access for fans to and from and clearing the parking lots and walking ways. The cold is what it is. Bundle up. Bring your blankets, bring your hats. No one should be surprised when they come out that it’s freezing cold.”
Snow showers are currently in the forecast for Tuesday, but not Wednesday.
