Another World Cup game might be at risk as local officials send a warning to all fans.
The World Cup group stage match between Norway and Senegal might be at risk, just like the France vs. Iraq game, which is already under a First Alert weather warning.
There’s a forecast of heavy rain and strong winds for parts of the Philadelphia area, where the France vs. Iraq match will take place on Monday afternoon and evening. The alert is active from 3 pm to 11 pm local time, with the game starting at 5 pm. The biggest risk is expected later in the evening, including heavy rain, strong winds, and even a small chance of tornadoes.
FIFA has to follow US government rules about lightning, so the match could be paused or rescheduled if needed. According to World Cup rules, if a game can’t finish as planned, it will be played again starting from where it stopped.
Norway vs. Senegal is also facing weather concerns. The US National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for parts of New Jersey, where this match will be held at MetLife Stadium. This warning runs from Monday afternoon through late evening and says flooding could happen due to heavy rain.
The stadium is located in Bergen County, which is included in the Flood Watch. Showers and possible thunderstorms might bring up to two inches of rain per hour, with flash flooding a real concern. While there’s no lightning forecast for this game, flooding could still cause delays.
For example, England’s final warm-up match against Costa Rica was delayed by an hour because of thunderstorms and lightning, which flooded the field.
Officials in New York have taken precautions ahead of the 8 pm local time (1 am UK time) kick-off by issuing a Gridlock Alert for Monday, warning of heavy traffic. The alert also includes the chance of severe weather like strong storms and heavy rain. Street closures will be in effect, and fans are advised to avoid unnecessary travel and keep an eye on weather updates.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a travel advisory on Twitter early Monday, warning about the bad weather coming. He said rain will likely start late morning, get worse through the afternoon, and continue overnight, with possible thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 50 mph.
He encouraged people to stay safe by planning ahead, using public transit, avoiding floodwaters, and seeking shelter during storms. He reminded everyone that no trip is worth risking safety and urged people to sign up for emergency alerts.