England and Norway are scheduled to meet today in the World Cup, but threatening weather has raised questions about whether the match will start on time or kick off as planned.
Here is the latest on the England-Norway game, including the weather forecast, possible delay, kickoff status and what tournament officials have announced.
“The humidity in Miami is absurd, with a heat advisory warning, and there is some potential this pitch temperature matches ‘the hottest World Cup game ever’ — Ireland-Mexico, also in Florida,” wrote Miguel Delaney, chief football writer at The Independent. “Great as Miami is, could have picked 15 other venues?”
The quarterfinal is set for Miami, where soaring heat across South Florida has put Saturday’s kickoff on shaky footing. Temperatures in the area are expected to climb to between 84 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with a RealFeel reading as high as 111 degrees, as the two sides prepare for a 5 p.m. local kickoff, according to a report from Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper. That’s 10 p.m. in the U.K., where fans are already on edge for the quarterfinal knockout match, and 11 p.m. in Norway, just 29 minutes after sunset in that country.
“The feels-like temperature for the Norway vs. England quarterfinal in Miami is forecast to hit 107°F (42°C) at kickoff,” wrote climate scientist Colin McCarthy of UC Davis. “Today will be the first time either team has ever played in heat like this.”
The City of Miami’s official social media account flagged the danger directly to residents Saturday morning. “Major Heat Risk is in effect across much of South Florida today,” the post read, urging people to stay hydrated and limit time outdoors.
FIFA and FIFPRO Heat Policies Facing a Real Test
FIFPRO, the global organization representing professional players, recommends matches be delayed or postponed once local temperatures cross 28 degrees Celsius — 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit — measured by wet-bulb globe temperature rather than a simple thermometer reading. Mandatory cooling breaks kick in once that figure passes roughly 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
FIFA sets a higher bar, triggering cooling breaks once wet-bulb globe temperature tops 32 degrees Celsius or 89.6 Fahrenheit.
Beyond that, the tournament organizer retains broad latitude to delay, suspend, postpone or relocate a match if conditions turn unsafe, with no single automatic cutoff in the rulebook. Lightning within eight miles of a stadium forces at least a 30-minute suspension under a separate FIFA protocol.
Despite the numbers brushing up against both organizations’ danger zones, no decision to delay or postpone Saturday’s game had been announced as of 2 p.m. EDT. The Daily Mail reported there are no plans to shift the 5 p.m. kickoff, at least not as of 1:30 p.m. EDT.
Miami Weather Outlook Ahead of England vs. Norway
The National Weather Service placed South Florida under a heat advisory running from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, covering most of the time-period in which the game would be played, with an afternoon high near 91 degrees Fahrenheit and a heat index reaching as high as 108. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms was also flagged for 4 to 5 p.m., right as teams would be arriving at the stadium.
AccuWeather’s outlook for the match window calls for a high near 92 degrees under its own heat advisory, with humid conditions and the same hydration warnings echoed by city officials.
England has already lived through one weather scare this tournament. The last-16 match against Mexico was pushed back an hour, from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. for fans in the U.K. — 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT — due to severe thunderstorms, with fans sheltering in the stadium and media barred from leaving the press area. Thomas Tuchel’s side won anyway, 3-2, punching its ticket to face Norway.
A short delay rather than a full postponement looks like the more likely outcome if the weather forces a call. FIFA has no fixed time limit pushing an early decision, giving organizers room to wait out heat or storms before deciding on relocation or rescheduling.
Is the England-Norway Game Delayed Today? Will World Cup Match Be Played?