Rain drives fans away at exposed Soldier Field

Premier League officials had been hoping for an attendance of just under 50,000 for the second game of their three-match Summer Series.

However, there were far fewer in the stands by the end as the awful conditions soaked the fans who had remained.

Heavy rain was swept across one end of Soldier Field to the other. There is no cover at the 61,500 arena, which is a surprise given the freezing temperatures this city experiences in the winter and the fact the stadium hosts the Chicago Bears NFL team.

Locals attending tonight's game suggested it was a source of pride for Bears fans that they brave such conditions but evidently, that view is not shared by league chiefs who have never hosted a Super Bowl in Chicago.