World Cup 2026: Was weather delay in England v Costa Rica a sign of things to come?

England head coach Thomas Tuchel says the delay of their World Cup warm-up match with Costa Rica has given them “a little taste of what could happen” – but will it be a small vindication?

The match was scheduled to start at 21:00 BST in Orlando, Florida, but heavy rain and thunderstorms pushed it back an hour to 22:00 BST.

Weather delays for this year’s World Cup have been a major talking point since several matches at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup were affected by thunderstorms.

It wasn’t the first tournament warm-up game to be delayed by the storm – and many fans worry it could become a theme throughout the World Cup.

“We were aware of it before – now we feel it,” Tuchel told ITV before the game. “It’s no problem.

“This should not be an excuse to lose our temper or our patience or our appetite to play the game.

“No problem. We figured it out while staying at the hotel so it was easy. We just said half an hour later on the bus and off we went.”

Fans who had already arrived at the Interandco Stadium were told to evacuate the stands and return to safer positions in the concourse to avoid being struck by lightning.

Thunderstorms are not uncommon in the United States, but when it affects matches, FIFA does not have the power to make its own rules and must follow the advice of local authorities.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recommendations are used and state that if lightning is detected within eight miles of a stadium, the game must be called off.

A mandatory 30-minute countdown begins and each time lightning strikes in the distance, the countdown clock resets to 30 minutes.

If the full 30 minutes have elapsed, supporters may return to their seats and the players will undergo a brief preparation.