England's final warm-up match before the 2026 World Cup hit a snag on Wednesday afternoon in Orlando. A severe thunderstorm forced officials to postpone the friendly against Costa Rica.
Heavy rainfall and lightning strikes made the playing surface unplayable ahead of the 4pm kick-off. Organisers scrambled to assess conditions as weather worsened across the venue.
The English Football Association released a brief statement about the delay. "Today's game against Costa Rica has been delayed due to weather conditions in Orlando," the body said.
"We'll provide further updates as soon as we have them."
Match officials warned of potential additional delays stretching up to 30 minutes. Lightning within an eight-mile radius of the stadium would trigger further postponement protocols.
Weather disruptions have plagued major tournaments held in America before. Last year's Club World Cup faced similar challenges, sparking fresh concerns about the expanded 2026 tournament.
England chose Florida specifically for two friendlies ahead of competition. They wanted to acclimatise players to extreme heat expected during matches.
After Wednesday's match concludes, the squad heads to Kansas City. They'll begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17.
