TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP
On Tuesday, June 30, during the France-Sweden match at the 2026 World Cup, the temperature was 32°C.
The Blues have already suffered from bad weather and heat at the 2026 World Cup. But temperatures of 32°C on Tuesday 30 June in the round of 16 are nothing compared to the temperatures that can await France in the round of 16 of the World Cup. The Blues take on Paraguay on Saturday, July 4 at 5 p.m. (23:00 French time).
However, according to the National Weather Service (the equivalent of Météo-France in the US), temperatures could reach 38°C during the day in Philadelphia, where the French team will play. A heat wave has been declared in the city until 20:00. (local time) on Saturday.
Much of the United States is in the grip of stifling heat. A layer of hot air over the center of the country will move starting Wednesday, July 1, toward the East Coast, where it is expected to cause extreme temperatures in several major cities for several days.
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The peak is expected on Thursday on the East Coast, where temperatures in New York and Washington should exceed 43°C.
Risk of storms?
These temperatures are a concern as the country will host several matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While some stadiums have a roof, air conditioning, or both, especially in Atlanta or Dallas, many are outdoors. Philadelphia Stadium is no exception.
The NWS forecast also shows “Danger of showers and thunderstorms after 14:00” Saturday, July 4th. In this case, the Blues will again have to follow the very strict protocol of the 2026 World Cup, as they did during the group match against Iraq.
Current US law stipulates that any outdoor event may be postponed or even interrupted if lightning is detected within a 13 km radius. In particular, football matches must be suspended immediately and players must return to the dressing rooms. Then the 30-minute countdown begins. If no new lightning occurs during this time, the match can resume, but with each alert the countdown starts from zero.
The Blues should not be the only ones concerned about the weather conditions, which should be treated with caution four days before the round of 16 kick-off. The Portuguese and Croatian teams could already bear the brunt of this heat tomorrow, Thursday, July 2, during their match in Toronto, Canada, where maximum temperatures of 34 to 37°C are expected throughout the day.