Spain cancels final training session before World Cup final against Argentina due to thunderstorm

The federation had previously stated: "Die Spieler absolvieren derzeit eine Aktivierungseinheit in der Halle." After the storm subsided and local authorities gave the green light, the team was able to complete its final training session on the pitch with a 45-minute delay. This gave the Spanish side the opportunity to prepare on the field for the final after all.

Delayed Training on the Pitch

The cancellation was particularly unfortunate for 19-year-old Lamine Yamal and the also-affected Pedro Porro, who had scored the 2-0 in the semifinal against France. De la Fuente said at the pre-final press conference that the 19-year-old had been on the pitch with his teammates on Friday, but also stressed the importance of the final session planned for Saturday. Spain was now unable to give both players this test to the planned extent.

Yamal and Porro Miss the Final Session

The weather situation in the New York region had been tense in recent days regardless. The skyline of the mega-city was at times shrouded in dense plumes of smoke, with a smell of smoke in the air. On Saturday, authorities had classified the air quality as "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups," particularly for children and the elderly.

Smoke and Poor Air in New York

The weather system with thunderstorms, wind, heavy rain, and dropping temperatures was expected to improve the recently poor air quality. For Sunday's final, however, there is an all-clear: sunny 27 degrees Celsius is expected again. This means significantly better conditions on matchday than the day before.

The two teams meet on Sunday (9:00 PM/ZDF and MagentaTV) in East Rutherford. For Spain, it is about defending the title or winning the first World Cup crown in history; Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, is fighting for its second world championship title after 2022.

Final Under Better Conditions

The match will be broadcast live on ORF1, with kickoff at 9:00 PM. With the delayed final training session, the Spanish side has at least made up part of their planned preparation, so that the team can switch into final mode on matchday despite the weather caprices in the USA.

Overall, the incident shows how much external conditions – from thunderstorms to smoke to heat – can affect the course of a major tournament. While the Spanish team had to improvise on Saturday, they are now looking ahead together with Argentina to a final under significantly friendlier conditions.