England could face more weather disruption at the World Cup in their quarter-final tie against Norway.
The Three Lions’ epic last-16 victory over Mexico was delayed by an hour due to thunderstorms in Mexico City.
They will now face Norway in the quarter-finals in Miami on Saturday, with the game kicking off at 10PM (GMT).
However, according to weather reports, thunderstorms are set to hit the city around then, with the local time in Miami five hours behind the UK.
A preview of Saturday’s weather on forecasting service AccuWeather says: ‘Humid with sunny periods; a thunderstorm in spots in the afternoon; lightning from nearby storms may impact the soccer match.’
NBC Miami also reports there will be ‘isolated thunderstorms’ around 5PM local time, while the soaring temperatures may also prove to be an issue for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
England could face more weather disruption at the World Cup in their clash against Norway
Thunderstorms are scheduled around the kick-off time of the quarter-final tie in Miami
Saturday’s forecast has highs of 34 degrees centigrade, yet the humidity is set to range from 60 to 68 per cent during the match.
That means the temperature could feel as hot as 44 degrees in what may prove to be a major challenge for Thomas Tuchel’s side, although their European opponents will face similar issues.
In regards to potential thunderstorms, FIFA rules state that a lightning strike within eight miles of a stadium causes an automatic suspension of play to protect the safety of players and fans.
Each time there is a new lightning strike within that eight mile perimeter, the restart is delayed by a further 30 minutes.
This was most notable in France’s group game against Iraq, when the game faced a two-hour delay between the first and second half due to thunderstorms and lightning.
England’s final friendly before the World Cup against Costa Rica was also pushed back by an hour due to inclement weather, while Mexico’s last-32 clash against Ecuador at the Azteca faced similar delays.
