Chelsea's FIFA Club World Cup campaign suffered a major setback as they slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Flamengo, a match compounded by Nicolas Jackson's late red card. The incident occurred during their match at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday, June 20, 2025.

The Blues initially took the lead through Pedro Neto, providing a positive start to the game. However, the second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum as Flamengo fought back. Bruno Henrique leveled the score, followed swiftly by Danilo who put the Brazilian side ahead. Just minutes after coming on as a substitute, Nicolas Jackson committed a reckless challenge on Ayrton Lucas, resulting in a straight red card. To make matters worse, Wallace Yan added a third goal for Flamengo, sealing Chelsea's fate.

Jackson's sending off was met with disbelief and strong criticism. Former Chelsea midfielder Mikel John Obi described the incident as "stupid, stupid, stupid," questioning Jackson's decision-making and highlighting the negative impact on the team's chances of recovery. This red card marks Jackson's second in a short space of time, having previously been dismissed in a Premier League game against Newcastle.

The defeat leaves Chelsea with a win and a loss in Group D. Liam Delap, making his full debut, experienced a disappointing start. The match was played in challenging conditions with temperatures reaching 27C. Despite the setback, Chelsea must now focus on their upcoming match against Esperance next week to keep their hopes of progressing in the tournament alive.