Could England v Argentina be delayed by storms? World Cup 2026 weather protocol explained ahead of semi-final | OneFootball

England and Argentina face off in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday night, with the winner to face European champions Spain in Sunday’s final after they knocked out France.

The game is scheduled to start at 8pm BST, 2pm local time in Atlanta, but the build-up to the match has been dominated by fears around thunderstorms delaying play.

Multiple matches throughout this tournament have been delayed due to thunderstorms, including England’s round of 16 clash with Mexico, which was delayed by an hour due to lightning in the area as Fifa’s weather protocol was activated.

Fifa is adhering to rules set by local authorities during the tournament, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) saying that if any lightning strike is detected within eight miles of a stadium the game has to be stopped.

This sparks a countdown of 30 minutes, which resets every time another lightning strike happens. Once that timer expires, the players return to the pitch for a 15-minute warm-up.

The weather forecast for Atlanta on Wednesday is for warm, humid weather with the possibility of thunderstorms at 2 and 3pm, around the scheduled kick-off time, leading to fears of delays.

However, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, known as the Atlanta Stadium for the World Cup, has a fully retractable roof, meaning any poor weather will not impact the match itself.

Stadium officials have confirmed the game will start as planned regardless of any adverse weather.

A spokesperson said: “Since the stadium is covered, the match is not weather-dependent so it will be played as scheduled. It won't be delayed, the game will start as planned regardless of weather.

“We will do everything we can to ensure the safety of fans, but it won't delay the start of the game if fans are still entering the stadium or are delayed entering due to weather conditions. The roof allows us the ability to play on time regardless of weather.”

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Fans were forced into the concourses after a storm arrived in Philadelphia (Reuters)

Gates will open three hours ahead of kick-off, allowing fans to enter the stadium in advance should storms hit.

The tournament – co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico – is being held in the peak of storm season in parts of the countries, with strict rules in place for lightning in the US particularly.

The weather, including the threat of lightning, also played a role in preparation for the tournament, with England’s friendly with Costa Rica delayed by an hour after heavy rain and the prospect of lightning in the Orlando area.

That was a scenario also seen several times during last year’s Club World Cup in the US, with six matches halted due to electrical storms.

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A warning for lightning strikes appears on the big screen as heavy rain falls prior to the International Friendly match between England and Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium (The FA via Getty Images)

That included an encounter between Chelsea and Benfica which kicked off at 4.38pm local time and eventually finished four hours and 38 minutes after it had begun.

Stadiums in the Gulf Coast area and south east of the United States are likeliest to come under threat from thunderstorms, with Fifa addressing each match on a case-by-case basis if play is halted.

Were conditions sufficiently dangerous to force an abandonment, World Cup regulations state that the game would be played on a future date, restarting in the same minute as it was paused, with the remaining minutes played.