England could face further disruption from the weather, with their World Cup quarter-final match against Norway threatened by scorching temperatures and predicted storms. The mercury is expected to reach 34 degrees Celsius this weekend in Miami, and lightning is also expected. Due to high humidity, temperatures are expected to be near 43 degrees at the start of the game.
The BBC forecast also predicts thunderstorms just before kick-off and throughout the match. This came after FIFA was forced to postpone the Three Lions’ Round of 16 match against Mexico by an hour. There are growing concerns that the game against Norway could face similar problems, and could technically be canceled or postponed if the situation becomes too dangerous.
The match is currently scheduled to kick off at 10pm (British time) on Saturday, with the match not to be decided until after midnight if extra time or penalties are required.
Another hour’s delay means football supporters will have to stay up until the early hours of the morning again.
The match between England and Mexico eventually started at around 2am UK time and ended around 4am on Monday morning.
FIFA protocols call for a minimum delay of 30 minutes in the event of thunderstorms, and governing bodies are required to follow regulations set by local authorities during the tournament.
This means that if lightning is detected within 8 miles of the stadium, the match must be stopped immediately.
FIFA must follow guidance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Their protocols call for players to leave the field and spectators to move indoors away from their seats.
Meanwhile, at venues that are considered particularly hot or humid, officials will carry out WBGT (wet bulb temperature) measurements 90 minutes before kick-off and one hour before the match.
FIFA’s tournament rules allow for matches to be postponed if conditions are deemed unsafe for play.
England faced a similar challenge last time they were in Florida preparing for the World Cup.
The final pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica started an hour later than scheduled due to heavy rain and thunderstorms at Orlando City’s stadium in the state.
Thomas Tuchel told ITV at the time: “You get a little taste of what can happen in the tournament. We’ve known it for a while and now we’re experiencing it.”
“That’s fine. It shouldn’t be an excuse to lose your mood or your patience or your hunger to play the game.”
He reiterated, “No problem at all. I found out while I was still in the hotel, so it was as simple as saying let’s take the bus in 30 minutes.”
