A line of strong storms puts the New York and New Jersey area under watch this Saturday, just as the 2026 World Cup enters its decisive weekend. The greatest risk is concentrated during Saturday, while for Sunday the forecast improves considerably in East Rutherford, venue of the final between Argentina and Spain.

The National Weather Service predicts rain and storms that could be severe in northern New Jersey this Saturday, with gusts of wind, electrical activity and accumulations capable of causing flash flooding. In the New York–New Jersey stadium area, precipitation could last into the evening.

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Can France-England be suspended?

The third place match between France and England is played this Saturday in Miami, not New York. Therefore, the storms affecting the northeast do not directly threaten that encounter.

However, Miami also presents unstable conditions during the previous hours. The forecast includes thunderstorms during part of the morning and early afternoon, although conditions are expected to improve towards kickoff, scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.

Rain alone does not force a meeting to be suspended. The main danger is the presence of lightning near the stadium. When electrical activity is detected within the established safety radius, play may be delayed before start or interrupted until conditions are safe.

What will happen with Argentina-Spain on Sunday

The final between Argentina and Spain will be played on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The updated meteorological outlook is more favorable: a mostly sunny day is expected, with a maximum temperature close to 84 °F —about 29 °C— and lower humidity.

Saturday's storms could even help clear some of the smoke from the Canadian wildfires that affected air quality during the week. Specialists expect an improvement for Sunday, although the behavior of the smoke continues to depend on the wind and the evolution of the fires.

With the current forecast, there is no indication that the final should be postponed. Still, FIFA and meteorologists will continue to monitor conditions until the start of the match.

What happens if there is lightning during a game

FIFA can stop the game when electrical activity poses a risk to footballers, referees and spectators. Once suspended, a safety period must pass without new lightning strikes before returning to the field is authorized. Each new nearby download can restart the wait.

This means that a match can start later or suffer a prolonged interruption, but not necessarily be cancelled. Only in an extreme situation could it be resumed at another time from the minute it was stopped.