Weather tracker: heat, humidity and thunderstorms a danger at World Cup

With the 2026 World Cup under way, all 48 teams face summer weather across North America. Matches are spread across 16 cities from southern Mexico to Canada, and thunderstorms disrupted play even before the tournament began when England’s warm-up against Costa Rica in Orlando was delayed by about an hour after storms brought lightning and heavy rain that waterlogged the pitch.

Safety regulations at US venues mean play is suspended when lightning is recorded within roughly 8 miles of a stadium, not resuming until 30 minutes after the last strike. The risk of thunderstorms is greatest across the central, eastern and south-eastern US. Miami and Houston are the most lightning-prone host cities, although Houston’s stadium has a retractable roof.

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