The England vs. Norway World Cup match might start with a delay

England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Florida may not start on time because of severe weather forecasts for the state.

Meteorologists are warning of an intense heatwave, very high humidity and the risk of thunderstorms around the stadium. Matt Devitt, a Florida weather expert, said he has issued a severe heat warning for the entire state for the first time in his career.

He wrote on X that the temperature people feel could range from 40C to 46C, urging everyone to take steps to avoid heat-related illness.

Forecasts suggest the feels-like temperature inside the stadium could reach about 45C when the match is due to be played. That would put pressure on both players and the tens of thousands of fans expected to attend.

FIFA has already used cooling breaks repeatedly at this tournament to deal with the heat.

Lightning is another concern. Forecasters say afternoon convective systems in Florida could become active at exactly the time of the match. Under FIFA safety protocols, if lightning is detected within a set radius of the stadium, play must stop for at least 30 minutes or kick-off must be delayed. That period can be extended if strikes continue.

Organisers, emergency crews and FIFA officials are now on alert.