This World Cup is going to be hot and at times stormy, with a sizeable chunk of its 104 games set to be played above 90F (32C).Spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico, it is likely to be the warmest edition since the last time the tournament was held in North America, when the U.S. hosted it solo in 1994.While extreme heat and humidity will affect how matches are played, thunderstorms could provide the greater logistical challenge.Under the thunderstorm protocol in place in the United States, a match must be suspended if lightning or electrical discharge is detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium involved. Once that happens, a 30-minute countdown begins — and resets if another strike is detected before it ends. Last summer, for example, Chelsea’s Club World Cup game against Benfica in Charlotte, North Carolina, took four hours and 38 minutes to complete after repeated lightning delays.
To give an understanding of which games will be most affected, The Athletic is working with Aaron Mentkowski, chief meteorologist for WKBW-TV Buffalo, to provide a daily forecast. Aaron will also join live coverage to explain what’s happening during storm delays.Canada vs Bosnia and HerzegovinaBMO Field, Toronto; kick-off 3 p.m. local timeFriday morning will be a bit unsettled in Toronto with mostly cloudy skies and a few showers (30 percent chance). Temperatures at 9 a.m. will be near 74F (23C). Clouds will decrease later in the morning and expect mostly sunny skies Friday afternoon. At 3 p.m. you’ll have blue skies with temperatures near 80F (27C). The main issue on Friday will be the winds. Winds will be westerly near 15 miles per hour with gusts near 30 miles per hour during the game. For Toronto on Friday, the UV index is 9, which is in the “very high” range. A UV index of 9 means skin can start to burn in less than 30 minutes without protection.United States vs ParaguaySoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California; kick-off: 6pm local timeThis stadium has a translucent canopy that is open on the sides, so there will be no storm issues for this one.As you gather before the game, the weather will be very pleasant. At 3 p.m. skies will be mostly sunny, the temperature will be 78F (26), and winds will be westerly 5 to 15 miles per hour. The UV Index will be in the “very high” range so bring the sunblock if you plan on being out in the direct sun for an extended period of time. At 6 p.m. skies will still be mostly sunny, the temperature will be 77F (25C), and winds will be westerly 5 to 15 miles per hour.The match will end close to 8 p.m. with temperatures near 70F (21C) under partly cloudy skies. The sun will set today at 8:05 p.m. so enjoy a nice post-game Southern California sunset.Jun 12, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
