High temperatures are anticipated to be a significant factor during the World Cup, but the threat of lightning poses an additional challenge. According to safety guidelines in the United States, if lightning strikes within a radius of 10 miles (16 kilometers) from a stadium, play must be halted for 30 minutes, during which players are required to vacate the field.

The established safety perimeter is based on studies regarding the maximum distance from which lightning can strike, even in clear weather. This is not merely a hypothetical danger; a tragic incident occurred in 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where an entire soccer team was tragically killed by a single lightning strike. Numerous other fatal occurrences have been documented over the years.

According to the regulations, if no additional lightning is detected within the 30-minute suspension period, the match can resume. However, any subsequent lightning activity resets the countdown for another half-hour delay. Should the interruption extend beyond one hour, officials may need to contemplate rescheduling the match entirely.

This lightning policy typically wouldn’t raise concerns, but several matches are scheduled to take place in Florida, known as the lightning capital of the United States. The months of June and July are particularly prone to thunderstorms, averaging around 20 stormy days during this period.