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FIFA World Cup final weather: Could thunderstorms disrupt Spain vs Argentina at MetLife?
Thunderstorms canceled Spain's final World Cup training, while Argentina's session was delayed by 45 minutes before Sunday's final in New Jersey.
The FIFA World Cup final is less than 24 hours away from its scheduled kickoff at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, where Argentina and Spain will lock horns on Sunday afternoon at 3pm ET.
However, a concern that has loomed over several fixtures throughout the tournament is once again resurfacing as the finale approaches. The weather in New York brought torrential rain, with thunderstorms also sweeping across the city.
While the World Cup final itself does not currently appear to be under threat from the weather conditions that prevailed on Saturday, they did disrupt the final training sessions of both finalists ahead of matchday.
Thunderstorm affects training session
Spain's preparations for the FIFA World Cup final were disrupted after severe thunderstorms forced the cancellation of their final training session ahead of Sunday's clash with Argentina, according to The Sun.
Argentina also saw its preparations affected by the storm, although to a lesser extent.
Spain’s final training session cancelled
La Roja had been scheduled to train at 11am local time at their base in Whippany, New Jersey. However, heavy rain and frequent lightning prevented
Lamine Yamal and his teammates from taking the field. Under safety protocols, outdoor training cannot resume until at least 30 minutes after the last lightning strike.
With no improvement in the weather forecast, Spain's coaching staff ultimately decided to scrap the session altogether rather than wait for conditions to improve.
Argentina’s training session delayed
La Albiceleste's training, originally set to begin at 11:30 a.m. local time at their New Jersey base, was pushed back by around 45 minutes after the storms swept through the area shortly before kickoff.
Unlike Spain, Lionel Messi and company were eventually able to complete their session once the weather cleared.
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The intense thunderstorm lasted for roughly an hour before moving across neighboring parts of New Jersey and New York City. Argentina's training facility for the final is located around 20 miles from MetLife Stadium, the venue for Sunday's World Cup decider.
Positive impact of the thunderstorm
Earlier, there were also concerns over smoke and deteriorating air quality caused by the Canadian wildfires, which threatened to disrupt the final.
However, the thunderstorms appear to have had a positive effect by helping clear much of the smoke from the region.
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The forecast for Sunday in East Rutherford appears far more favorable, with sunny spells expected, smoke largely cleared, and only a one percent chance of rain.
