Watch: Lightning forces players from field during Auckland FC match

Sunday, 19 April 2026

A huge flash of lightning, followed by a roar of thunder, forced players from the field for safety during an Auckland FC match.

The referee called both sides off the pitch at Go Media Mount Stadium on Sunday after a lightning bolt ripped across the sky in the 35th minute of the first half of the match against the Central Coast Mariners.

Under safety rules, any lightning strike within 10km requires a minimum 30-minute delay from the time of the last recorded strike.

The live broadcast captured the moment the storm hit the ground, with a commentator noting a 'huge crack of thunder' booming over the stadium.

A rainbow over Go Media Stadium during the lightning delay as Auckland FC played Central Coast Mariners.

“I’m not sure if you picked that up, but that was a huge crack of thunder,” the commentator said.

Heavy rain followed the lightning, lasting for just over 10 minutes.

After the weather cleared, players returned to the field for a 10-minute warmup before resuming the final 10 minutes of the first half at 4.30pm. The second half of the match eventually started just before 5pm, about the time the fixture was originally scheduled to end.

During the lightning delay, a gleaming rainbow appeared over the stadium.

MetService has issued a top-priority severe thunderstorm warning for Auckland and parts of Waikato.