The automatic sprinkler system at the stadium malfunctioned between the two halves of the football match between Iraq and Norway, played on Wednesday morning (Tuesday evening local time) as part of the 2026 World Cup finals at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, United States.
A powerful burst of water shot for several seconds from a sprinkler head that suddenly failed on the edge of the penalty area in front of the goal where Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had scored twice, giving his side a 2-1 lead before the end of the first half, with Ayman Hussein having scored Iraq's only goal in that opening period.
While the remaining sprinklers appeared to be functioning normally, officials were forced to shut down the entire system to prevent further damage caused by the faulty sprinkler, which had discoloured the grass surrounding it on the pitch.
Maintenance workers rushed to address the fault using buckets and water-drainage equipment, redistributing water to other parts of the pitch, with the technical crews successfully restoring the affected area to its normal condition before the players emerged from the dressing rooms to begin the second half.