Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Solar Eclipse Creates Spectacular Backdrop for Cricket and Football Matches
On Wednesday, something amazing happened in the sky.
The Moon moved in front of the Sun, creating a solar eclipse.
At the same time, some important sports games were being played.
At a cricket ground in England, the sky suddenly got dark during a match.
The stadium had to turn on its floodlights, just like at night.
Far away in Morocco, a women's football game was happening too.
People watching that game could also see the eclipse.
The match was between the national teams of Malawi and Algeria.
Malawi won 3-1, so they will play in their very first big final.
Fans said the eclipse made the games look magical and unforgettable.
A rare solar eclipse created spectacular visuals at sporting events on Wednesday, August 12.
At Edgbaston, the sky darkened during The Hundred match between Birmingham Phoenix and MI London, prompting floodlights to be switched on.
A partial eclipse was also seen around the Women's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Malawi and Algeria in Rabat.
Malawi upset Algeria 3-1 to reach their first-ever WAFCON final.
Cricket and football fans were left awestruck by the rare combination of elite sport and the celestial event.
- Who
- Cricket and football fans, along with the players of Birmingham Phoenix, MI London, and the Malawi and Algeria women's national football teams.
- What
- A rare solar eclipse created spectacular visual moments during The Hundred cricket match and the WAFCON semi-final.
- When
- Wednesday, August 12, with the Rabat match kicking off at 6pm local time.
- Where
- Edgbaston in England and the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
- Why
- The timing of the eclipse coincided with the matches, turning an already busy sporting day into an extraordinary celestial backdrop.
- Celestial Event
- Solar eclipse (partial eclipse seen in Rabat)
- Cricket Match
- Birmingham Phoenix vs MI London, The Hundred, at Edgbaston
- Football Match
- Malawi vs Algeria, Women's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final
- Venue
- Olympic Stadium, Rabat, Morocco
- Result
- Malawi 3-1 Algeria
- Date
- Wednesday, August 12
- Kick-off Time
- 6pm local time