Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleHarry Latham-CoyleMonday 22 June 2026 23:26 BSTFive World Cup rule changes you need to knowThe World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled during peak storm season in parts of these countries, raising concerns about potential weather-related disruptions.Strict US regulations, which Fifa observes, dictate that matches must be halted if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius of a stadium.The rule caused multiple significant delays during last year's Club World Cup in the US, including a match between Chelsea and Benfica that was paused.Upon a lightning strike, a 30-minute countdown begins before play can resume, with any subsequent strikes resetting this timer, potentially leading to prolonged stoppages, especially in the Gulf Coast and South East US.Such delays could complicate the synchronised kick-off times for final group-stage games, and World Cup regulations state that any abandoned matches would be replayed on a future date from the point of interruption.In fullWhy World Cup games could face long delays due to lightning strikesThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in