Storm delays England’s World Cup send-off as Orlando deluge tests safety protocols
England’s final World Cup warm-up match against Costa Rica was thrown into chaos on Wednesday afternoon after a severe thunderstorm swept across Orlando, forcing a significant delay to the scheduled kick-off at Inter&Co Stadium. The torrential rain and repeated lightning strikes left the pitch waterlogged and triggered strict stadium safety measures that, according to groundstaff, could push the start back by more than an hour.
The match had been due to begin at 4pm local time (9pm BST), but within minutes of the first flash of lightning at 1.38pm, officials activated the venue’s lightning protocol. Under the rules set by the stadium, play can be suspended if lightning is detected within eight miles, and the clock resets to 45 minutes after each subsequent strike. However, a stadium source told David Hytner, the Guardian’s correspondent in Orlando, that the safety procedures here involve a 30-minute delay after the last lightning strike, not the 45 minutes originally stated. “We have just been told by some of the organisers that they are expecting more lightning,” Hytner reported. “The Florida weather is very unpredictable.”
By 3pm local time, a small number of fans were allowed back into the stands from the shelter of the concourses, but the rain, though no longer a torrent, remained heavy. Hytner described the downpour as “one of the worst I’ve seen” – comparable only to a storm during an Arsenal pre-season tour in Jakarta. A colleague who dashed 50 yards from the car park to the hotel had to change clothes after being “utterly drenched”. The match’s announcers temporarily closed the ticket collection point, stating they hoped “to resume operations as soon as it is safe to do so”.
The delay was initially announced as 20 minutes, with a revised kick-off time of 4.20pm local (9.20pm BST), but that was soon overtaken by events. Jacob Steinberg, also reporting from the ground, said the word from organisers was “an hour delay”. By late afternoon, the new target was set at 5pm local time (10pm BST), subject to no further interruptions. The safety clock, Hytner noted, would reset each time lightning reappeared, leaving the match in limbo. Chelsea fans may recall a similar situation at the Club World Cup in North Carolina last year, where heavy rain caused prolonged stoppages.
Tuchel names strong XI as Bellingham and Rice return
Despite the weather, Thomas Tuchel pressed ahead with naming his starting lineup, a decision that underscored the seriousness with which the England head coach is treating this final tune-up before the World Cup. Jude Bellingham was selected in the number 10 role ahead of Morgan Rogers, while Declan Rice – who joined the squad late after Arsenal’s Champions League final appearance – slotted straight back into midfield. On the right wing, Noni Madueke got the nod over Bukayo Saka, a sign of Tuchel’s willingness to rotate even in a fixture designed to build rhythm.
Tuchel, who took charge of England in January 2025 on a contract that runs through the 2026 World Cup with an option to extend to EURO 2028, has overseen a successful qualifying campaign and is now fine-tuning his squad. The 22-man matchday selection – which includes goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, defenders John Stones and Reece James, and captain Harry Kane – features nine players making their senior tournament debut: James Trafford, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly, Djed Spence, Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah, Elliot Anderson, Noni Madueke, and Morgan Rogers. Notable omissions from the final 26-man squad include Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Harry Maguire, decisions that have generated significant debate among fans.
The full England squad for the tournament lists Jordan Pickford (No.1), Ezri Konsa (2), Nico O’Reilly (3), alongside established internationals such as Marcus Rashford, Ivan Toney, and Jordan Henderson. Costa Rica, who failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, are fielding an experimental side under new manager Fernando Batista, using this friendly as a rebuilding exercise against elite opposition.
Previous meetings and England’s World Cup pedigree
England and Costa Rica have met twice before, with the most notable encounter coming in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they played out a goalless draw that contributed to England’s early elimination. Their only other meeting was a 2-0 pre-tournament friendly victory for England in Leeds ahead of the 2018 World Cup – a tournament in which Roy Hodgson’s side reached the semi-finals. That result offers a faint omen for the class of 2026, though the historical context is mixed: England’s best World Cup performance remains their victory as hosts in 1966, with fourth-place finishes in 1990 and 2018. They failed to qualify in 1974, 1978, and 1994.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will be the first to feature an expanded 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advance to a 32-team knockout stage, with the final scheduled for July 19. The match in Orlando, if it eventually kicks off, will be England’s last chance to test tactical plans and player combinations before the squad travels to its base camp. For now, all eyes remain fixed on the Florida sky – and the lightning that continues to threaten the fixture.
