England's final World Cup warm-up match against Costa Rica, scheduled for June 10 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, was delayed by about one hour after heavy rain and thunderstorms hit the area [1, 2, 3]. The match was originally set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET (20:00 GMT) but began around 5 p.m. ET (21:00 GMT) [1, 2, 3].
Lightning strikes in the vicinity forced stadium authorities to temporarily evacuate the stands and instruct fans to take shelter until conditions improved [1, 2, 3]. Local safety guidelines and NOAA protocols require a 30-minute pause in play following any lightning strikes within an eight-mile radius before the match can resume [2].
England head coach Thomas Tuchel downplayed any worries about the delay, saying it gave the team a "little taste of what can happen" during the World Cup and was "no problem at all." Tuchel added, "It should not be an excuse to lose our mood or patience or to lose our hunger to play the game. No problem at all. We realised it when we were still at the hotel so it was easy. We just said half an hour later in the bus and let's go." [2]
Despite hosting the warm-up match, Orlando is not a World Cup host city itself. The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11 but no tournament matches are scheduled in Orlando [1, 3].
The rescheduled kickoff at 5 p.m. ET marked the official start of England’s final preparation game ahead of the tournament. The 2026 World Cup is set to get underway tomorrow, June 11.
