Spain cancels Cup final training after NY thunderstorms

Severe thunderstorms in the New York and New Jersey area forced Spain to cancel its final training session on Saturday, July 18, just one day before the team is set to face Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The Spanish squad was scheduled to practice at the Melanie Lane training ground in Whippany, New Jersey, but the session was initially postponed and later called off entirely due to lightning activity in the vicinity.

The cancellation was mandated by U.S. storm safety protocol, which requires the suspension of any outdoor sporting event when lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius. Resumption is only permitted if no further strikes occur for at least 30 minutes. Tournament organizers confirmed there would be no alternative time slots for the European champions to train on Saturday. The Spanish Football Federation stated the players instead participated in an extended indoor gym session.

Argentina’s preparations were also disrupted, though to a lesser extent. The defending champions, training at the Red Bulls Performance Centre in Morristown, New Jersey, experienced a roughly 45-minute delay before eventually holding a light session on rain-soaked turf....