Spain forced to abadanon training session ahead FIFA World Cup 2026 Final

Spain will face Argentina in the World Cup final!

FIFA World Cup 2026 has reached its final battle after a month-long gruelling battle, with the final two teams confirming their spot after intense showdowns. The stage is now set for a historic final between Argentina and Spain at the New York New Jersey, at East Rutherford, USA.

Spain, under the guidance of manager Luis de la Fuente, booked their spot by comfortably defeating tournament favourites France 2-0. Argentina, the reigning world champions, captained by Lionel Messi, secured their spot after an unbelievable 2-1 comeback victory against England.

While these two heavyweights share a highly competitive history, this marks their second-ever meeting at the World Cup, with their only previous meeting coming during the 1966 group stage, with Argentina securing a narrow 2-1 victory.

Why did Spain’s training session get cancelled?

Spain’s preparations for the epic final have been affected massively now, as the team were forced to abandon their outdoor training sessions after heavy thunderstorms. The team were supposed to start their training at the Whippany, New Jersey, the former training complex of the New York Red Bulls.

As the players were underway with light jogging and stretching routines, a sudden, heavy rain started pouring, completely covering the pitch within minutes. Despite the heavy rain, the coaching staff attempts to proceed with basic passing drills and ball-activation work to keep the players warm.

Then the facility’s automated lightning sirens were triggered, indicating an active upcoming storm within a dangerous radius. According to the FIFA rules, no training sessions are allowed to proceed if there is any risk of a storm within a 13-kilometre radius. Prioritising player safety, Luis de la Fuente immediately halted all activity and ordered the entire squad and backroom staff to abandon the pitch.

After drying off, the players gathered together inside the facility’s indoor gym. The training structure was completely forced to be changed, focusing more on physical exercise to ensure peak fitness. Luis de la Fuente then moved on to an extended tactical video analysis, where they reviewed defensive shapes and counter-pressing movements specifically designed to limit the space around Lionel Messi.

High-stakes tactical plans were thrown into absolute chaos when severe weather forced the Spanish national team to completely abandon their final pitch training session. Torrential downpours, fierce winds, and the threat of lightning over the New Jersey area made outdoor activity impossible, forcing the coaching staff to abruptly pull the players off the grass to ensure squad safety.

Similarly, the preparations of the Argentina national team were halted due to the same reason, as they were training in Morristown, approximately eight kilometres away from Spain’s centre. Their training session was delayed for around 45 minutes before resuming.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.