Lamine Yamal, pictured earlier this week, was unable to train at the planned time on Saturday in Whippany, New Jersey. Florencia Tan Jun / Getty Images
July 18, 2026 Updated 12:38 pm EDT
Spain’s final training session on Saturday morning ahead of the World Cup final has been canceled after initially entering into a weather delay as lightning rolls through the region.
The same weather system also impacted the start of Argentina’s training session, which was held roughly five miles away in Morristown. The team’s session was delayed by around 45 minutes before going ahead at 12:15 p.m.
The Spain national team was due to begin their final training session at 11 a.m. in Whippany, New Jersey, at the former training complex of the New York Red Bulls and soon to be first-ever training facility of NWSL’s Gotham FC.
As reporters were entering the grounds, they were advised to move inside the building designated as journalists’ working space.
An official on the grounds told The Athletic that training must be postponed whenever lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius. They said the lightning would be checked every 30 minutes, until an “all clear” is given, which is typically the process for all sporting events whenever lightning and thunder are detected.
The same thunderstorm protocol has been in place for the entirety of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and saw several games delayed.
By 11:40 a.m., FIFA officials on site informed reporters that Spain canceled their training.
Weather has been a hot topic in the New York and New Jersey region this week, with extreme heat and poor air quality impacted from Canadian wildfires. The rain is expected to clear most of the haze, as national teams prepare for the final, which is set to be played Sunday at 3 p.m. at MetLife Stadium.
The Air Quality Index in Whippany is currently at 158, which is considered unhealthy.
The area is also under a flood watch, with parts of New Jersey and New York City also under a tornado watch. New York City is roughly 20 miles from where both teams are training.
Jul 18, 2026
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