Chelsea are grappling with a scheduling headache at the Club World Cup after unexpectedly finishing as runners-up in their group.
The London club had banked on topping Group D, but a surprise second-place finish has thrown their travel and accommodation plans into disarray.
The core of the issue lies in a sudden need to travel to Charlotte for their round-of-16 clash, rather than staying put in Miami as initially anticipated for the next stage of the tournament.
A source within the club informed Reuters that all logistics—ranging from flights and lodging to training grounds—were arranged under the assumption that Chelsea would secure first place in Group D and remain stationed in Miami.
Their plans unraveled after a 3-1 loss to Flamengo of Brazil and a subsequent 3-0 triumph over Tunisia’s Esperance in Philadelphia, which was only enough to land them second in the group standings.
Now, Chelsea are set to take on Benfica this Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, a fixture that has disrupted their original itinerary and forced a swift reworking of logistics.
Despite the detour, the team aims to return to Miami following the match, which adds more travel strain to an already packed schedule.
If Enzo Maresca’s side progresses to the quarter-finals, they will make another trip—this time back to Philadelphia—to face the winner of an all-Brazilian tie between Palmeiras and Botafogo.
