Why was play suspended in the Germany - Denmark Euro 2024 match?

Play during the Euro 2024 round of 16 match between Germany and Denmark was suspended due to lightning strikes in the vicinity of the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund.

Lightning strikes put player safety at risk

At the end of a hot summer’s day in the north-west of Germany, the heavens opened - hail included - during the first half, which would not normally be an issue provided the pitch was in playable condition.

However, lightning strikes in the area meant referee Michael Oliver was forced to call a half to the game almost 35 minutes in, in order to guarantee the safety of the players out on the field. In February, a player in Indonesia was killed after being hit by a lightning bolt during a match.

How long was Germany - Denmark stopped for?

The players were initially asked to congregate over on the touchline near the dugouts, where Oliver informed them that they would have to retreat to the dressing room to wait for the storm to pass.

After around 20 minutes, both teams were called back out onto the field and underwent a mini warm-up before play restarted.

The game was still goalless at the time of the interruption, with Germany’s Nico Schlotterbeck having an early header disallowed because of a foul in the Denmark penalty area.