FOOTBALL – Heavy rain and thunderstorms threaten to trigger a washout for soccer fans across Sweden tomorrow, as weather warnings loom for the millions planning to gather outdoors to watch their team’s World Cup clash.
The national team are scheduled to kick off against the Netherlands early in the evening with public excitement already at fever pitch following Sweden’s roaring 5-1 opening win against Tunisia.
However, a warning of heavy rain and thunderstorms issued by the state weather agency, SMHI, threatens to bring a chaotic, noisy halt to open-air celebrations across southern Sweden just as fans prepare for the match.
“I think this could affect the ability for many people to watch the match outside,” Lasse Rydqvist, a meteorologist at weather service Klart, told Swedish media.
The determination of fans to stick to their outdoor plans has forced cities into careful contingency planning.