Potential Delay Looms Over England vs Norway Quarter-Final
England's World Cup quarter-final against Norway, scheduled to kick off at 10pm on Saturday night in Miami, Florida, could be delayed due to the threat of thunderstorms. The forecast predicts isolated thunderstorms from 8pm to 11pm, raising concerns about player safety and match continuity.
According to NBC Miami, 'isolated thunderstorms' are expected around kick-off time. FIFA regulations stipulate that lightning within eight miles (13 kilometres) of the stadium must trigger a delay, putting the highly anticipated clash at risk of postponement.
Norway Squad Hit by Illness Ahead of Clash
Norway's preparations have been hampered by illness, with star striker Jorgen Strand Larsen missing training due to a fever. Defender Marcus Holmgren Pedersen is also unwell, manager Stale Solbakken confirmed.
Solbakken stated: 'Really, only Jorgen has had a fever, though there's been some coughing and rasping here and there. But then again, there's the air conditioning, the flying, the traveling, and all that. There are over fifty of us, so it would be strange if nothing popped up.'
England's Path to the Quarter-Finals
England secured their spot in the last eight with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning. The match, played at the Azteca Stadium, saw Jude Bellingham score twice and Harry Kane convert a penalty.
The game broke BBC viewing records, attracting a peak live audience of 9.1 million despite a 2am BST kick-off. The average audience of 7.8 million more than tripled the previous record for an event broadcast between 2am and 4am, set during the 2016 Rio Olympics. A rerun on BBC Two at 7am drew a peak of 1.1 million viewers.
