Match proceeds as scheduled
The World Cup 2026 match between Norway and Senegal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, began as scheduled on Monday night. This occurred despite earlier heavy rainfall in the region. The stadium, an open-air venue opened in 2010 with seating for approximately 80,000, is built on steel pilings in the New Jersey marshlands.
Roads leading to the stadium had standing water four hours before the 8 p.m. EDT kick-off. However, the rain had stopped by the time the game commenced. The U.S. National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for parts of New York City and New Jersey, including Bergen County where MetLife Stadium is located.
The NWS had forecast showers and potential thunderstorms with high moisture levels for the afternoon and night, capable of producing up to around 2 inches of rainfall per hour. These conditions could lead to flash flooding, particularly in urban and poorly drained areas.
In Philadelphia, about 100 miles south, France‘s match against Iraq was suspended for 2 hours, 10 minutes due to heavy rain and thunderstorms. Weather conditions that might cause delays or interruptions are not explicitly covered in World Cup regulations.
FIFA stated it would continue to monitor conditions in real time and is prepared to implement established contingency protocols if extreme weather events occur. The governing body also mentioned maintaining close collaboration with host governments, medical experts, and emergency authorities.
Previous weather-related delays and regulations
During last year’s Club World Cup in the U.S., six of 63 games experienced weather-related delays, totaling 8 hours, 29 minutes. Other recent international matches have also faced weather disruptions. A friendly between England and Costa Rica in Orlando, Florida, on June 10 was delayed by one hour due to a storm. Additionally, a June 5 friendly between Saudi Arabia and Puerto Rico in Austin, Texas, was suspended in the 21st minute and resumed approximately 90 minutes later.
World Cup regulations stipulate that if a match is abandoned due to force majeure after kicking off, it should recommence at the point of interruption with the same scoreline. The restart would occur where play was stopped, such as with a free kick or throw-in. If the ball was in play when abandoned, it would restart with a dropped ball from that position. FIFA retains the authority to decide the kick-off time, date, location, and other matters for recommenced matches.
Furthermore, FIFA has the right to cancel, reschedule, or relocate matches or even the entire FIFA World Cup 26 at its discretion, citing reasons such as force majeure or health, safety, or security concerns.
Team preparations and Group I context
Norway entered the match following a 4-1 victory over Iraq in their first tournament game since 1998, with Erling Haaland scoring twice. This result marked a strong return for Norway to the World Cup stage. Their attacking prowess was evident, having scored 37 goals in eight qualifying matches, including 3-0 and 4-1 wins against Italy.
Conversely, Senegal faced a 3-1 defeat against France in their opening match. Despite the loss, Senegal created opportunities, with Nicolas Jackson hitting the post and Ismaila Sarr missing a chance in a goalless first half. Ibrahim Mbaye scored a consolation goal for Senegal against France.
Norway‘s lineup for the match against Senegal was expected to be similar to their starting 11 against Morocco in a warm-up game and Iraq in their World Cup opener. Senegal‘s coach, Pape Thiaw, could maintain the lineup that started against France, though wingers Iliman Ndiaye and Ibrahim Mbaye are pushing for starting positions.
The match between Norway and Senegal is part of Group I of the 2026 World Cup, with the game scheduled for Tuesday, June 23.
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Source: apnews.com
