The clash between Brazil and Scotland, scheduled for this Wednesday (24) for the 2026 World Cup, may suffer a delay in its kickoff. A storm forecast for Miami, the host city of the duel, is the cause of the possible interruption. The official start time for the match is 7pm.
The capital of Florida expects heavy rains and thunderstorms from noon today, with the weather instability lasting almost until kick-off time. If a single lightning strike is detected near the competition venue, the regulations require the game to be stopped immediately.
For the dispute to resume, it is essential that no electrical discharge occurs within 12 kilometers of the stadium. This period of absence of lightning must be maintained for at least 30 consecutive minutes.
The countdown to resuming the event is reset if a new lightning strike is recorded. Additionally, the start of the game will be delayed if a storm reaches the safety limit 30 minutes before the original schedule.
Such a situation could result in a considerable postponement, remembering what happened in the second half of the match between France and Iraq. On that occasion, the game took about two hours to resume after halftime, interrupted by lightning and heavy rain in Philadelphia.
This match, which lasted almost four hours, set a record as the longest match in the history of World Cups. Never before had a tournament event been stopped for so long due to weather factors.
Scenario for the Brazilian team could result in classification as vice-leader
The Brazilian national team faces the possibility of not securing the leadership of its group in the 2026 World Cup. If it does not achieve victory against Scotland, or if it wins with a tight score and Morocco obtains an impressive triumph, Brazil could conclude the group stage in second or even third place. The final position in the group stage is decisive, as first place generally grants a smoother path in the qualifiers, avoiding higher caliber opponents in the first stages of the knockout stage.
The last time Brazil finished second in its bracket was almost five decades ago. Such an event occurred in the 1978 World Cup, when the team drew with Sweden and Spain, finishing with the same score as Austria. However, the Austrians’ goal difference put them in first place.
A similar scenario was seen in the previous World Cup, in 1974. In that edition, Yugoslavia took the lead in the group also based on tiebreaker criteria, driven by a 9-0 defeat of Zaire. In contrast, Brazil scored 3-0 against the same African team.
The Brazilian team only occupied third place in a group once, in the 1966 World Cup. That year, Brazil was disqualified in the initial phase after losing to Portugal and Hungary. However, in the current 2026 edition, even in third place, there is the possibility of advancing to the round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.