England given huge World Cup semi-final advantage after Miami heat nightmare
England have faced the elements in their last two World Cup matches, but things will be different in the semi-final vs Argentina.
The United Kingdom has been bemoaning its lack of air-con in recent weeks as the heatwave cooks us alive, but England will be playing in a completely air-conditioned stadium on Wednesday, July 15.
After the taxing altitudes of Mexico City, where Thomas Tuchel's side overcame co-hosts Mexico, and the brutal heat and humidity of Miami, where a narrow 2-1 victory over Norway was secured, England return to Atlanta to face Argentina where the conditions will not be a concern.
It's been a World Cup defined by extreme weather conditions, with several games delayed, and hydration breaks mandated for every match.
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But Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium is protected from the outside world thanks to its roof, which also means conditions on the pitch will be climate controlled to a comfortable 22C.
That will come as a huge relief to Tuchel's battle-weary squad.
Climate control gives England advantage vs Argentina
Both teams will be playing in the same conditions, of course, but it will be a huge advantage for England to go back to playing in a comfortable environment after such challenging matches.
The Three Lions have got to the final four for the fourth time in their history but have done so the hard way, with Jude Bellingham's heroics earning the win over Norway despite a team performance that left Tuchel fuming.
Yet, the unbearable humidity made the game incredibly tough to play in and a slow, laboured display was understandable.
England will hopefully have a much better chance of being at their energetic best in more-manageable conditions, especially if Declan Rice is fit after being forced off at half-time on Saturday after battles with injury and illness.
With Argentina more accustomed to hotter climates, England will certainly benefit from not having to take them on in such challenging weather.
However, it's not England's first match in Atlanta, as that was the location of their last 32 win over DR Congo.
It didn't look like England hugely benefited from the cool climate there as they went 1-0 down early on and struggled throughout.
Yet, they were still full of energy late on in the match and were able to get two goals in the final 15 minutes through Harry Kane.
England vs Argentina will not be delayed even if there's a thunderstorm
According to AccuWeather, an 'afternoon thunder shower' has been forecast for Wednesday, but it won't disrupt the highly-anticipated semi-final thanks to the roof.
"Since the stadium is covered, the match is not weather-dependent so it will be played as scheduled," a Mercedes-Benz Stadium spokesperson told LADbible.
"No, it won’t be delayed, the game will start as planned regardless of weather," the spokesperson said.
"We will do everything we can to ensure the safety of fans, but it won’t delay the start of the game if fans are still entering the stadium or are delayed entering due to weather conditions.
"The roof allows us the ability to play on time regardless of weather."
"I will note that gates open 3 hrs before kick and if we are detecting weather in the area, we would do what we can to get fans in as soon as possible."
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 8pm BST.
Daniel Murphy