Will England vs France be delayed? Weather latest for World Cup third-place play-off

THUNDERSTORMS are threatening to delay England’s clash against France tonight. The two beaten semi-finalists go head-to-head in Miami this evening. England take on France in Miami for third-place Credit: Alamy The game could be delayed due to thunderstorms Credit: Getty The match is scheduled to start at 10pm UK time, which is 5pm local time in Florida. But weather forecasts have sparked fears that the clash could be forced to kick-off later. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Will England vs France be delayed? There is a chance that the World Cup third-place play-off will be delayed due to thunderstorms. Earlier this week, forecasters believed that torrential rain and lightning were going to strike Miami at the time of the match. But on the day before the game, those predictions changed with the adverse conditions set to hit at 7pm UK time/2pm local time. The weather is set to clear by the time the match begins – hopefully meaning kick-off is on time. But should the storms arrive later, they could delay the match with concerns for safety of fans arriving at the stadium. What is Fifa’s weather protocol? World Cup chiefs are not allowed to make their own weather regulations and are therefore following guidance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Most read in Sport They say that if lightning is detected within eight miles of a stadium, the game must be suspended. Players will be taken off the field and fans must leave their seats. After the lightning strike, a 30-minute countdown clock starts but it resets every time there is a new bolt. Play can only resume half-an-hour after the lightning has finished. There is no maximum time a game can be delayed or pushed back. Fifa judges all incidents on a case by case basis. England and France are no strangers to a weather delay at this World Cup. The Three Lions had kick-off delayed by one hour before their 3-2 win over Mexico in the last-16. In the group stages, France‘s 3-0 victory over Iraq included a two-hour half-time due to a storm. England look to finish their World Cup campaign on a high Credit: Getty Comment now