Opening game of the 2026 World Cup expected to have rain with high risk of lightning The opening game of the 2026 World Cup is expected to have rain with a high risk of lightning, especially during the second half of the match. This Thursday (11), Mexico and South Africa face each other in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup, at the Azteca stadium, in Mexico City. The scenario is caused by the action of two low pressure systems — one in the Pacific Ocean, close to the continent, and the other in the Gulf of Mexico. Both favor the entry of hot and humid air into the region. Furthermore, Mexico City is more than 2,000 meters above sea level, which intensifies the formation of storm clouds. Opening game of the 2026 World Cup expected to have rain with high risk of lightning Globe FIFA protocol for storms Faced with this type of situation, FIFA adopts the security protocol known as Weather Delay, already used in the United States and which will also be applied in Mexico and Canada, host countries of the World Cup. The guidelines are as follows: Storms within a radius of up to 26 km: intensified monitoring Storms within a radius of up to 13 km: suspension of the match Storms within a radius of up to 8 km: evacuate the pitch and stands