Weather may interfere with the progress of World Cup matches The 2026 World Cup will be played during the summer in the United States, a period marked by high temperatures, but also by frequent storms, lightning and intense rain. Due to these weather conditions, American authorities and FIFA are already preparing for possible stoppages of matches throughout the tournament. In the United States, interruptions to sporting events due to bad weather are common. The so-called weather delay — a protocol that suspends outdoor activities due to weather reasons — is part of the routine of university and professional competitions in the country. During the Club World Cup last year, six matches had to be interrupted due to weather conditions. One of the most emblematic cases was the duel between Benfica and Chelsea, which was stopped for one hour and 53 minutes. For the World Cup, monitoring will be carried out by the United States Federal Meteorological Service, which has 122 offices spread across the country. The entity will monitor weather conditions in real time and provide information for decision-making during the games. According to the protocol adopted by FIFA, matches will be interrupted whenever storms or electrical discharges are detected within a radius of up to 13 kilometers from the stadiums. The restart can only occur 30 minutes after the last lightning strike. If new lightning strikes are identified during this period, the count is restarted. The authorities' concern is to ensure the safety of players, journalists and fans, who will be exposed to weather conditions in open environments. When the protocol is activated, everyone present in the stadiums must seek covered areas until the situation is considered safe. Among the cities that most concern experts are Miami, New York/New Jersey and Philadelphia. The Miami region, where the Brazilian team will play one of the group stage games, is identified as the main point of attention due to the frequency of storms during the summer. The unpredictability of the weather is another factor that draws attention. Even on days with apparently clear skies, storms can form quickly and cause unexpected interruptions, a scenario that is already part of the reality of sporting events in the United States. With the expectation of packed stadiums and millions of fans watching the games, the weather promises to be an important character in the 2026 World Cup — and can directly influence the course of the matches. Weather may interfere with the progress of World Cup matches Reproduction/TV Globo GloboPop: click to see videos from the Fantástico stage Listen to Fantástico podcasts THIS IS FANTASTIC The Isso É Fantástico podcast is available on g1 and the main podcast apps, bringing great reports, investigations and fascinating podcast stories with the Fantástico journalism seal: depth, context and information. Follow, like or subscribe to Isso É Fantástico on your favorite podcast player. Every Sunday there's a new episode.