World Cup matches in US face heat advisories, storm threats

WASHINGTON: Both US coasts were under heat advisories Friday on the eve of Fifa World Cup matches scheduled in California’s Bay Area, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The biggest weather threat may come Sunday in Philadelphia, where lightning and thunderstorms could disrupt play.

Heat advisories along the East and West coasts are set to expire Friday night, but temperatures are still forecast to reach 32°C degrees at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium on Saturday when Qatar faces Switzerland, according to the National Weather Service.

On the East Coast, the Saturday night match between Scotland and Haiti at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is likely to be the most comfortable for players and spectators, said Tyler Roys, a meteorologist with commercial forecaster AccuWeather Inc.

The other East Coast match, between Brazil and Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, is expected to be more sultry, Roys said. Temperatures are forecast to remain in the upper 20s when the game begins.

Saturday’s high is forecast to reach 31°C in Washington, climbing to 33ºC on Sunday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms through the afternoon, said the National Weather Service.

North American summer heat has been a concern for both players and spectators for weeks leading up to the tournament. As much as US$50 billion could be wagered on World Cup matches globally, including roughly US$5 billion in the US alone, according to Chad Beynon, a Macquarie Capital analyst.

While the heat will challenge players and spectators, thunderstorms pose the greater threat in Philadelphia, where Cote d’Ivoire is scheduled to face Ecuador on Sunday, Roys said.

World Cup matches, like the National Football League games, are played in a wide range of weather conditions, but play is suspended when lightning is detected, said Johnny Avello, director of sports operations at DraftKings Inc., a digital sports and gaming company.