Severe flooding in New York has disrupted travel plans just hours before the World Cup final, raising fears that hundreds of supporters could struggle to reach the stadium as the United States faces one last weather-related test of the tournament.
Spain and Argentina are due to meet in this evening’s showpiece match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a venue located about five miles from New York City.
Weather has been a recurring storyline throughout the competition, with matches involving France and England among those affected by delays caused by extreme heat and lightning alerts.
Now, ahead of the final, fresh uncertainty has surrounded the scheduled kick-off time of 3pm ET, or 8pm BST, as heavy storms continue to create problems across the region.
On the eve of the tournament finale, torrential rain left parts of New York under water, bringing traffic to a standstill and creating chaotic scenes. Vehicles were seen partly submerged, while pedestrians waded through floodwater that reached as high as chest level in some areas.
Reports said between two and four inches of rain fell during the storms, while authorities also issued a tornado warning as dangerous conditions swept through the area.
New York City was struck by severe flooding only hours before the World Cup final
One driver said they waited as long as 20 minutes for floodwater near MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to subside before attempting to pass through
A flood watch covering eastern Bergen County, where MetLife is located, northeastern New Jersey and New York City remained in effect until 2am Sunday.
Although the heaviest rain had moved south and east by late Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service warned that further storms could produce rainfall rates of one to two inches per hour.
The final showstopper between Spain and Argentina will be able to go ahead unaffected – but many fans may miss out.
While the worst of the horrific weather had passed by Sunday morning, leaving blue skies in its wake, the torrential conditions of the previous day left mayhem in its wake.
The dangerous conditions caused further turmoil at the region’s three major airports wreaking havoc for the thousands descending on New York and New Jersey where 80,000 fans are expected to fill MetLife Stadium for Sunday’s final.
Hundreds of flights into the New York area from across the United States were rocked by delays, or worse, cancellations as the downpours compounded travel problems.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered multiple ground stops at LaGuardia, JFK and Newark, until at least 5pm ET on Saturday due to the thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was flooded, leaving drivers stranded on the washed-out roadway. Many sought safety on the roofs or bonnets of their vehicles as the water in some areas rose as high as car windows.
Former England goalkeeper and BBC pundit showed off the conditions on social media
An FDNY fire truck was captured wading through the flooding – the water almost reaching its windscreen – to rescue the drivers. Firefighters assisted New Yorkers slowly inch their way along a ledge to dry land.
There had been calls to move the World Cup final and, while conditions are starting to improve, severe thunderstorm warnings remain for parts of New Jersey.
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani posted on social media: ‘Don’t risk your safety in these dangerous conditions. – Exercise caution while traveling.
‘Take public transit whenever possible. Never walk, bike, or drive through floodwaters. No destination is worth risking your safety.’
It is understood, however, that there are hopes there will be no delay to tonight’s proceedings.
The downpours presented a lone benefit with the deluge of rain expected to help clear Canadian wildfire smoke from the air.
An air-quality health advisory remained in effect across New York City until midnight Saturday after fine-particle pollution pushed the Air Quality Index above 100.
Meteorologists interviewed by the Associated Press said the storms should improve air quality from unhealthy to moderate before kickoff.
The final will be held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, roughly five miles from New York
Hundreds of Argentina descended on Times Square once the torrential rain had cleared
On Saturday, New York residents received an alert from the National Weather Service, branding conditions ‘a life threatening situation’.
It read: A FLASH FLOOD WARNING is in effect for this area until 3.30pm EDT,’ it read.
‘This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.’
The New York Yankees’ baseball game against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium was cancelled on Saturday due to the weather, but it is set to be rescheduled for this afternoon.
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has been working as a pundit for BBC throughout the tournament, has been in New York and highlighted the struggles prior to kick-off.
Hart and the likes of Wayne Rooney had been based in Salford until the BBC opted to end their work from home World Cup ahead of England’s semi-final defeat by Argentina.
‘Weather’s absolutely banging here. Shoes are off, trainers are ruined’, Hart said in a video he shared to Instagram. He could be seen walking in heavy rain, drenched.
Argentina’s training session was delayed by 45 minutes on Saturday, while Spain’s flight from Kansas to New York was also delayed.
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