The tournament is expected to be notably warm, with many matches projected above 90 °F (32 °C). Spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this edition is poised to become the hottest since the 1994 tournament, which was hosted solely by the United States. Although extreme heat and humidity will influence gameplay, thunderstorms present a more significant logistical concern.
According to the U.S. thunderstorm protocol, a match is halted when lightning or electrical discharge is detected within an eight‑mile radius of the venue. Once that happens, a 30‑minute countdown begins, but resets if another strike is detected before it ends.
On Tuesday night, the round‑of‑32 tie between Mexico and Ecuador became the latest World Cup game to be delayed by storms, with kick‑off taking place an hour later than scheduled. France’s match against Iraq on June 22 was the first to be affected — kick‑off there was put back by more than two hours.
To help understand which games will be most affected, The Athletic is working with Aaron Mentkowski, chief meteorologist at WKBW-TV Buffalo, to provide a daily forecast. Aaron will join live coverage to explain what’s happening during storm delays.
England vs DR Congo
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia. Kick-off: 12pm local time (EDT), 6pm BST
This indoor fixture carries no pitch‑related weather concerns. However, a heat advisory is active in Atlanta from noon to 8 p.m. Conditions outside the venue will be sunny and hot. Kickoff at noon will begin with an outdoor temperature of 91 °F (33 °C), rising to 93 °F (34 °C) by the match’s conclusion, with a 30 % chance of thunderstorms and easterly winds at 5 mph.
Belgium vs Senegal
Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington. Kick-off: 1pm local time (PDT), 4pm EDT, 9pm BST
Partly sunny and comfortable. At 4 p.m., the temperature will be 67 °F (19 °C) with winds out of the southwest at 5‑10 mph. Temperatures will remain near 67 °F (19 °C) throughout the match.
United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California. Kick-off 5pm local time (PDT), 8pm EDT, 1am BST
Mostly sunny skies. At 5 p.m., the match will start with sunny conditions and a temperature of 76 °F (24 °C). By the end of the match, the temperature is expected to drop to 72 °F (22 °C). Winds will be northwesterly at 5‑10 mph.