FIFA's Fan Festival in Toronto was evacuated midway through the World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday night due to a lightning risk. Thousands of fans had gathered at Fort York grounds to watch the game on a big screen.
Emergency Evacuation
Shortly before half-time, the broadcast was replaced with a message reading 'Cancellation of show'. As boos erupted, an announcement informed attendees: 'May I have your attention, please. Unfortunately the FIFA Fan Festival will be cancelled for today due to extreme weather conditions. This decision was made out of an abundance of caution for our fans’ safety and we appreciate your understanding.'
Organisers escorted disappointed fans out of the venue. A statement confirmed: 'Out of an abundance of caution, the FIFA Fan Festival Toronto is being evacuated due to risk of lightning. The decision was not made lightly, however safety is our utmost priority. FIFA Fan Festival Toronto will not reopen tonight.'
World Cup Host City
Toronto is one of the World Cup's host cities, with six matches scheduled at BMO Field, including Canada's opening game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday. Adverse weather also affected England's preparations, as their friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday was delayed by an hour due to heavy rain in Orlando.
