- The World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled during peak storm season in parts of these countries, raising concerns about potential weather-related disruptions.
- Strict US regulations, which Fifa observes, dictate that matches must be halted if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius of a stadium.
- The rule caused multiple significant delays during last year's Club World Cup in the US, including a match between Chelsea and Benfica that was paused.
- Upon a lightning strike, a 30-minute countdown begins before play can resume, with any subsequent strikes resetting this timer, potentially leading to prolonged stoppages, especially in the Gulf Coast and South East US.
- Such delays could complicate the synchronised kick-off times for final group-stage games, and World Cup regulations state that any abandoned matches would be replayed on a future date from the point of interruption.
IN FULL
Why World Cup games could face long delays due to lightning strikes
