World Cup 2026: Weather threatens matches in US as Cape Verde celebrates qualification

The 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada continued on June 22 with multiple matches scheduled, though severe weather threatened to disrupt play in two key fixtures. Heavy rain, damaging winds, and potential tornadoes were forecast for the Philadelphia area during France's match against Iraq at 5pm local time, while similar conditions threatened the Norway versus Senegal match in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium.

The US National Weather Service issued flood watches for parts of New York City and New Jersey, including Bergen County where MetLife Stadium is located. Forecasters warned that showers and thunderstorms with high moisture content could produce up to 2 inches of rainfall per hour, creating flash flooding risks in urban areas and poorly drained zones. The New York City Emergency Management issued a travel advisory, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani urging residents to plan ahead and avoid travel if conditions became severe. The open-air MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010 and seats approximately 80,000, was constructed on steel pilings in New Jersey marshlands.

The tournament's expanded format, featuring 48 teams across 16 groups, included African nations competing for opportunities to demonstrate their quality. As games progressed through the group stages, analysis focused on whether African teams would reach the last 32, justifying the Confederation of African Football's push for additional slots in the expanded competition. Argentina's match against Austria, scheduled earlier in the day in Texas, faced no weather concerns as it was held under a roof.

Despite initial worries about weather disruptions at the Club World Cup in the US the previous summer, the 2026 World Cup had experienced minimal weather-related delays up to that point. The forecast storms represented one of the first significant weather challenges for the tournament's schedule, with organizers monitoring conditions as kickoff times approached.