2026 World Cup: Norway vs. England in Jeopardy—Here’s What’s Happening
Another weather-related nightmare has struck yet another match in the 2026 World Cup. Even the highly anticipated Norway-England quarterfinal—which kicked off as scheduled at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 5 p.m. local time on Saturday (11 p.m. Italian time)—risked having its kickoff delayed and then even faced the prospect of being postponed after the match had already begun. The cause was the extreme heat wave that hit South Florida. In fact, there was talk of a heat index that could have reached 44° C, partly due to extremely high humidity.
The Miami city government had issued an official warning to residents earlier that day, urging them to stay hydrated as much as possible and to limit outdoor activities to only what was absolutely necessary. FIFPRO, the global players’ union, also recommends rescheduling matches even if temperatures exceed 28° C. If the decision is ultimately made to reschedule the match against Norway, it would be the second time for England at the 2026 World Cup: the kickoff for the match against Mexico was delayed by over an hour from the scheduled time, though in that case it was due to the risk of thunderstorms and, above all, lightning strikes at the stadium.
It would not, after all, be the first time in this tournament that the heat has put a match at risk. In Philadelphia, during the Round of 16 match between France and Paraguay, the thermometer hit 38°C, with heat index readings nearing 46° given humidity levels above 40%. As noted by The New York Times, never in World Cup history had a match been played in such scorching temperatures, surpassing even the record set on June 24, 1994, when Ireland and Mexico faced off in Orlando and the field temperature exceeded 43°. On that occasion, organizers had set up dozens of misting stations along the route to the stadium and ten free water distribution points.
On the sporting front, the lead-up to the Norway-England match was already fraught with tension and twists. The Norwegian team was concerned about a stomach virus that affected several members of the squad following their historic victory over Brazil: some players are experiencing fatigue, stomachaches, and a mild fever. Head coach Stale Solbakken himself is not feeling his best and could not hide the problem during the press conference. Among those struggling the most is reportedly Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, who was already absent against Brazil and started the Miami match on the bench, while Erling Haaland—who has scored seven goals in the five matches he’s played in this World Cup—is reportedly symptom-free for now.
England, for its part, must deal with two significant absences. Defender Jarell Quansah has been suspended for two matches by FIFA following his red card against Mexico, a decision that infuriated British fans, especially given the different treatment meted out to the American Balogun, who was spared after Donald Trump intervened directly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Added to this is the injury to Jordan Henderson, who slipped while jumping over an advertising billboard during the post-match celebrations at Azteca Stadium, fracturing his left forearm. The midfielder, however, chose to remain at the national team’s training camp to support his teammates.
Despite the absences, Thomas Tuchel once again relied on his starting lineup, with Harry Kane—who has scored six goals so far in the tournament—leading the attack. Facing them is Norway, which, by reaching the quarterfinals, has already written its finest chapter in World Cup history. For England, however, this is a clash with destiny: the Three Lions are seeking a return to the semifinals after finishing fourth in 2018, dreaming of replicating the feat of 1966, when they lifted the only World Cup title in their history on home soil.
