Heavy thunderstorms triggered flash flooding across New York City on Saturday, disrupting subway lines and grounding hundreds of flights just hours before the 2026 World Cup final. The National Weather Service reported between 2 and 4 inches of rain, with downpours reaching up to an inch per hour. Mayor Zohran Mamdani advised residents to stay home and said additional response crews had been deployed to pump water from streets. New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged caution.
The storms affected all lanes of the Long Island Expressway at 188th Street and caused major cancellations at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark airports. The Spanish national team cancelled its final training session in New Jersey, while Argentina's session started 45 minutes late.
Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is not expected to be affected. Neither FIFA nor organizers have announced changes to match arrangements.