The Scotland vs Brazil game might be delayed as FIFA gets ready to follow World Cup rules.
Scotland’s Group C game against Brazil might face a big delay, making it the second World Cup match this week to be held up like this. Steve Clarke’s team will play Brazil at 11pm UK time, knowing that even a draw will be enough to move on to the round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams. They could still qualify if they lose, but that depends on other results and goal difference.
The first week of the World Cup went smoothly without any weather problems, even though June and July are known for heavy flash floods in the US. But on Monday, France’s Group I match against Iraq was paused for about two hours after halftime because of lightning near Philadelphia Stadium. The game restarted around 1am UK time and France won 4-0. Meanwhile, New Jersey saw lots of rain during Norway’s 3-2 win over Senegal, but that match wasn’t stopped.
Now, Miami is expected to have bad weather on Wednesday, which could cause trouble for Scotland’s game against Brazil. Florida has a moderate heat warning, and weather forecasts say there’s a 51% chance of a thunderstorm in Miami around 5pm local time, just an hour before the game starts at 6pm.
If you followed the France vs Iraq match on Monday, you might have heard about the World Cup’s safety rules for thunderstorms. These rules come from the US government’s weather service and FIFA follows them during the tournament. If lightning is spotted within eight miles of the stadium, the game has to stop immediately for at least 30 minutes. Fans are told to find shelter, and everyone should stay indoors until 30 minutes after the last lightning flash.
The eight-mile range is because lightning can still be dangerous even after it strikes, with risks stretching up to 10 miles. FIFA’s plan to handle bad weather checks for three main signs: seeing lightning, hearing thunder, or if the sky looks threatening. When any of these happen, outdoor activities like matches are paused.
Scotland’s coach, Steve Clarke, says the team is ready in case the weather causes delays. “Looking at the forecast, there might be some rain disruptions,” he told reporters. “We have a plan for how to handle it. You never know how long a delay will last, but if there is one, we hope it’s short. We’ve got a strategy and know what we’d do if it happens.”