While extreme heat in the United States, Canada, and Mexico is a major concern for fans and players at the 2026 World Cup, another form of adverse weather—thunderstorms—could cause significant delays lasting hours.
US Thunderstorm Safety Protocol
In the United States, a specific protocol is followed for outdoor events impacted by thunderstorms. According to The Athletic, FIFA does not have any cut-off point in its match regulations to call off games. The American thunderstorm protocol dictates that a fixture must be immediately suspended if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius of the venue. This leads to athletes, coaches, and officials being removed from the field, while fans are evacuated to safe areas within the stadium.
After a lightning strike is detected, a 30-minute countdown clock begins. If that 30 minutes passes without another strike, the match resumes after a warmup period. However, if another strike occurs before the half hour elapses, the clock resets to zero.
Recent Example: Club World Cup Delays
During last summer's FIFA Club World Cup, a match between Benfica and Chelsea in Charlotte, North Carolina, was delayed for nearly two hours due to severe weather. The match ultimately lasted over four-and-a-half hours in total. FIFA does not have regulations stipulating how long a delay must last before calling off a game; instead, the organization assesses each situation on a case-by-case basis.
In a statement regarding severe weather impact, FIFA said: 'FIFA's emergency preparedness team meets regularly with national meteorological and emergency management authorities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as with partners across all 16 Host Cities. A comprehensive, tournament-wide preparedness exercise focusing on severe weather scenarios has further strengthened cross-agency coordination and operational readiness. Stadiums are required to maintain robust risk management and evacuation procedures, including lightning and severe weather protocols aligned with local legislation and international best practice.'
Stadiums with Roofs Exempt from Delays
Only four American stadiums being used at the World Cup have fixed or retractable roofs, which will exempt them from these delays: NRG Stadium in Houston, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, BC Place in Vancouver, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
