Soccer fans at St Louis vs Cincinnati are sent to TORNADO SHELTERS inside the stadium as city is battered by life-threatening storms
- St Louis fans were sent to tornado shelters as inclement weather battered city
- The game was delayed indefinitely as a tornado was spotted heading for the area
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Soccer fans at St Louis' MLS game against Cincinnati were rushed to tornado shelters on Saturday night as dangerous weather battered the stadium and threatened to wreak havoc in the city.
The game was delayed and officials urged fans to shelter inside the stadium shortly after 7:30pm EST, when a tornado was confirmed and observed moving towards St Louis.
Over two hours later, fans were still hunkered down waiting for the weather to pass, and at 9:46pm EST (8:46pm local) it was finally revealed that the game would kick off an hour later, at nearly 10pm local time and 11pm on the east coast.
Among those taking shelter in St Louis, Missouri was former USA soccer star Marcelo Balboa, a defender with 127 caps for the national team, who said he was in a 'bunker' inside the stadium.
Balboa is currently an analyst for MLS Season Pass, but his on-air duties were halted by the weather and he shared a video of the tornado passing close by.
![Former USA soccer star Marcelo Balboa posted a video of the tornado in St Louis Saturday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/16/02/69876157-11977559-image-a-17_1681607154037.jpg)
Former USA soccer star Marcelo Balboa posted a video of the tornado in St Louis Saturday
![Balboa sheltered in the bowels of the stadium with other journalists while the tornado passed](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/16/02/69876203-11977559-image-a-18_1681607172721.jpg)
Balboa sheltered in the bowels of the stadium with other journalists while the tornado passed
![At 7:30pm, when the game was due to kick off in St Louis, fans were sent to tornado shelters](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/16/01/69875245-0-image-a-8_1681604417919.jpg)
At 7:30pm, when the game was due to kick off in St Louis, fans were sent to tornado shelters
Alongside the clip, he showed a selfie of himself and his fellow journalists in the bowels of the stadium, as they awaited further news after being sent to tornado shelters.
Another member of the media working at the stadium posted a photo of fans inside the concourse, awaiting further instructions from those in charge.
Elsewhere on social media, locals posted scary clips of the storm passing through, as well as 'pea-sized' hailstones, while sirens sounded around the city.
In a statement on the team's website, further details were released to fans in attendance, asking them to go to the marked 'storm shelters' inside CityPark.
It was explained that the St Louis SC MLS stadium is a 'StormReady Facility as designated by the National Weather Service', going on to reveal that 'a site-specific meteorologist is on call to track severe weather including high winds and lightning strikes.'
![CityPark is a 'StormReady Facility' and fans had to shelter before Saturday's game kicked off](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/16/01/69875503-11977559-image-a-16_1681604890950.jpg)
CityPark is a 'StormReady Facility' and fans had to shelter before Saturday's game kicked off
![Inside the stadium, one fan took a selfie inside the storm shelter](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/16/02/69876459-11977559-image-m-35_1681609875244.jpg)
![One local man said he was sheltering in a shower in a men's locker room](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/16/02/69876457-11977559-One_local_man_said_he_was_sheltering_in_a_shower_in_a_men_s_lock-m-37_1681609923690.jpg)
Fans inside the stadium and beyond sheltered from the terrifying weather in Missouri
![Fans on social media posted photos and videos of the brutal weather in St Louis, Missouri](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/16/02/69876287-11977559-image-a-19_1681607182938.jpg)
Fans on social media posted photos and videos of the brutal weather in St Louis, Missouri
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