New York weather warning issued ahead of Norway vs. Senegal World Cup game

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) issued a travel advisory Monday ahead of storms anticipated to hit the region later in the afternoon ahead of the World Cup match between Norway and Senegal.

The game kicks off at MetLife Stadium at 8 p.m. ET and the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch warning from Monday afternoon through the night across areas of New York City and New Jersey. It warned that “flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas”, with showers and potential thunderstorms which may produce up to two inches of rainfall per hour.

NYCEM added that southeasterly winds of 10 to 15 mph may bring gusts up to 30 mph, with isolated gusts of 40 to 50 mph possible during thunderstorms.

In a further post on Twitter/X, NYCEM warned fans that umbrellas will not be permitted by FIFA inside the stadiums.

“They are permitted on trains and buses,” NYCEM added. “Plan ahead with ponchos to stay dry and avoid delays at security.”

Thunderstorms and the chance of flash flooding move into NYC today. Heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and lightning are all possible. High winds can knock down trees and power lines and send debris flying. Heavy rain can flood streets and basement apartments fast, often with very… pic.twitter.com/hKJxY4rnnO

— NYC Emergency Management (@nycemergencymgt) June 22, 2026

Monday had already been labelled as a Gridlock Alert Day, given the match between Norway and Senegal. Numbers shared with The Athletic by local organizers show that the game is sold out, meaning that around 80,000 people will be heading to and from the stadium.

Travel to the game was already going to collide with commuter time in the region, with the Port Authority Bus Terminal discouraging all but essential travel.

Organizers have been encouraging fans to take public transit to the game due to the lack of car parking spaces available at the venue. While there are ordinarily 23,000 car parking spaces available at the venue, this number is vastly lower during the tournament, owing to the security demands and space requirements of FIFA during the games.

There are several ways for fans to get to the game. There is a $20 round-trip bus shuttle service from various locations in Manhattan which has sold out its 12,000 capacity for the Norway vs. Senegal. Organizers, meanwhile, forecast a 40,000 capacity for the NJ Transit rail service to take fans to and from New York Penn Station and MetLife Stadium. As of this morning, around 17,000 tickets had been bought for this service, which organizers will want to vastly increase to avoid many people hitting the roads during a period of commuter travel and poor weather. This challenge is not made easier by the fact that NJ Transit has kept its round-trip ticket at $98 per person, regardless of age, compared to its usual $12.90 fare.

New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill, who directed the price to be raised to avoid offloading costs to her taxpayers and commuters, said on Monday: “With severe weather expected this evening, fans and commuters should plan for possible delays and changes to traffic and transit service.

“For those attending the match, NJ TRANSIT is the quickest and safest way to get to and from the stadium. Avoid unnecessary road travel and monitor local weather forecasts for the latest updates.”

In a news conference on Monday morning, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani said: “A storm will move into New York City today. Heavy downpours will likely continue into the night. We may see severe thunderstorms and wind gusts reaching up to 50 miles per hour. We have been preparing for this storm since Thursday. The Downed Tree Task Force is on alert and ready to respond to fallen trees and clogged basins while the Tow Truck Task Force is prepared to support stranded vehicles. NYCEM has issued a travel advisory, and with Norway Senegal kicking off this evening at New York, New Jersey Stadium, we have also issued a gridlock alert.

Mayor Mamdani Holds Press Conference to Make an Extreme Heat and Worker Protection Announcement https://t.co/nJyS2g4TK0

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) June 22, 2026

“We are encouraging New Yorkers to budget extra time for your commutes tonight. Exercise caution when you travel, take public transit whenever you can. Do not bike or drive through floodwaters.  And if conditions are severe, seek shelter indoors before traveling.”

NYCEM Commissioner Christina Farrell added: “We are coordinating with the FIFA Host Committee and New Jersey for any impacts to the Fan Fests in Brooklyn and Queens, as well as travel to and conditions during the game.”