How thunderstorms and lightning could impact games at World Cup

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Supporters and players must leave the bowl of the stadium if lightning is detected within eight miles Football issues correspondentPublished56 minutes ago"It's a joke - this is not football," Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said after his side's Club World Cup last-16 tie against Benfica was delayed by extreme weather last summer. The game in Charlotte, North Carolina had kicked off at 16:00 local time, but was suspended in the 86th minute when lightning was detected in the area. Almost two hours passed before the storm had cleared. Players from both teams were spotted on exercise bikes or kicking balls around in the changing room, trying to keep active. Eventually the game resumed, with the final whistle blown at 20:38 local time - four hours and 38 minutes after it had begun. It was one of six games at the tournament halted by electrical storms. With the 2026 World Cup - co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico - taking place at the peak of thunderstorm season in several host cities, we are highly likely to see stoppages once again. The delays at the Club World Cup made headlines, but football in the United States is very much used to stopping because of the weather. A number of matches on pre-season tours - including Manchester City v Barcelona in Orlando two years ago - have faced lengthy delays. Fifa has no power to make its own rules, it must adhere to the advice of local authorities. In the United States, recommendations of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are used. The NOAA says that if any lightning strike is detected within eight miles of a stadium the game has to be stopped. How would that work out distance-wise in the UK? If you are in Manchester at Old Trafford or the Etihad, you can just about get away with lightning in Rochdale. A game could continue at Stamford Bridge if there was an electrical storm at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - but it would be too close if lightning was at Emirates Stadium. With an increased risk of lightning strikes, the safety of players and supporters is given paramount importance. All players must leave the pitch, and fans must seek shelter away from their seats. A mandatory 30-minute countdown begins. Each time there is a lightning strike inside the distance, the countdown clock resets to 30 minutes. If a full 30 minutes has elapsed, the supporters can go back to their seats and players will have a short warm-up. England to use palm-cooling devices at World Cup Published3 hours agoFifa risking player safety over heat at World Cup - scientists Published14 MayHeat experts warn Fifa of bottle ban health risk Published1 day agoHow long will delay be and could match be postponed? If a game is suspended because of the weather Fifa will address the matter on a case by case basis. But there is no cut-off point, no maximum time players must wait before a match is called off. Essentially, the kick-off time is the guide, with ensuring a stadium full of supporters make it home safely key to any decision. The earlier in the day a match starts, the more time there is to play with. But time is not always the deciding factor. Take a Major League Soccer game from 2015. FC Dallas v Toronto FC was halted for three hours 26 minutes because of lightning strikes and did not finish until 01:00 local time. There might be an issue if there are electrical storms around the final group games, which are supposed to be played simultaneously. If one game is halted, will Fifa have to stop the other one, too? And then there are the ties in the knockout rounds, which might need to add on extra time and penalties too. What if Fifa has no choice but to abandon a game if conditions are not improving? World Cup regulations state that the game would be played on a future date, restarting in the same minute as it was paused, with the remaining minutes played. Fifa would decide the date but it would almost certainly be the next day because of the tight nature of the schedule. So if a game stopped on 76 minutes, the players would return to play 14 minutes. Host cities in the south east of the United States and the Gulf Coast regions are most likely to face interruptions. It is the height of thunderstorm season. Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Miami and New Jersey in particular regularly experience electrical storms. Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico will also be susceptible. But the stadiums in Atlanta, Dallas and Houston have fixed or retractable roofs which can reduce the impact. England's first match against Croatia in Dallas is indoors, but the Three Lions then face Ghana in Boston and Panama in New Jersey. All three of Scotland's matches could be impacted. Steve Clarke's men face Haiti and Morocco in Boston before taking on Brazil in Miami. If lightning is detected nearby the match will be halted regardless of conditions at the stadium. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,

How thunderstorms and lightning could impact games at World Cup

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