Mexico v England delayed by lightning as Fifa's World Cup 2026 weather protocol kicks in

Mexico v England was delayed by at least one hour at World Cup 2026 after lightning was detected near the stadium in Mexico City, prompting Fifa to action its severe weather protocol. It is the second time a match at the tournament has been affected by adverse weather, following the suspension of France v Iraq before the second half in Philadelphia.

Fifa is following rules set by local authorities, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requiring play to stop if any lightning strike is detected within eight miles of a stadium. That triggers a 30-minute countdown, which resets each time a further strike is recorded. Once the timer expires, players return to the pitch for a 15-minute warm-up before the game can resume.

The delays are a consequence of the tournament’s scheduling. The World Cup — co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — is being staged during peak storm season in several of the host regions, with particularly strict lightning regulations in force across the US.

Weather had already disrupted England’s preparations, with their pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando delayed by an hour due to heavy rain and the threat of lightning. New York City, meanwhile, experienced heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning less than 24 hours before Brazil faced Morocco in New Jersey, despite sweltering temperatures in the mid-30s during the tournament’s opening days.

The pattern is familiar from last year’s Club World Cup, also held in the United States, where six matches were halted due to electrical storms. One of those, Chelsea v Benfica, kicked off at 4.38pm local time and did not finish until four hours and 38 minutes later.

Stadiums along the Gulf Coast and in the south-east of the United States are considered most vulnerable to thunderstorm disruption. Fifa is assessing each affected match individually, but the situation could become particularly complicated during the final round of group-stage fixtures, where kick-off times are synchronised to prevent any team gaining a tactical advantage — a safeguard that a weather delay could inadvertently undermine.

Should conditions ever force a full abandonment, World Cup regulations state the match would be replayed on a future date, restarting from the exact minute at which it was halted.