England set for open-air Miami heat - but do Norway hold the edge?

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: England set for open-air Miami heat - but do Norway hold the edge? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The roof at the Hard Rock Stadium reduces the airflow and exacerbates the conditionsByDale Johnson, Football issues correspondent and Simon King , Lead Weather PresenterPublished2 hours agoEngland head into unknown territory at this World Cup when they face Norway in Miami on Saturday - playing in searing temperatures. The Three Lions have been largely shielded from excess heat in North America.

Their schedule has included indoor matches in Dallas and Atlanta, and the three they have played outdoors - in Boston, New Jersey and Mexico City - have been in cooler, damper conditions. That changes on Saturday for their quarter-final tie (kick off 22:00 BST), which could be played in conditions the global players' union considers too dangerous for the game to go ahead. Norway have played all but one of their matches outdoors - the exception being their last-32 victory over Ivory Coast in the air-conditioned Dallas Stadium.

The Details

Their 2-1 victory over Brazil on Sunday was played outside while New Jersey was under a US National Weather Service (NWS) extreme heat warning. So who might be better prepared for the heat of Miami? What is the weather forecast?

Put simply, conditions in Miami will be hot and humid. The NWS is warning of a "hazardous heat threat", with the chance of heat-related illnesses likely to increase. While air temperatures are likely to sit about 33C (91F), once you add in the humidity, it will feel like about 41C (106F).

The NWS put a heat advisory in place for the area on Friday, and experts say it is likely one will be issued covering the weekend too. There is a risk of thunderstorms, especially near the start of the match, and a possibility of showers - but otherwise sunny spells are expected. Global sporting bodies such as Fifa use an index called Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which takes into account temperature, humidity, time and amount of sunshine.

What Experts Say

In its guidelines for playing in heat, external, players' union Fifpro says a WBGT above 28C should lead to the "delay or postponement of matches" until conditions are safer. Calculations of the WBGT for Miami at about kick-off give the WBGT as 28-30C. There is no suggestion the game will not take place.

Check the forecast for Miami Figure caption, Will it be too hot to play? What temperatures have Norway and England faced? While two of England's group-stage matches were played in the hotter Texas and Georgia climates, they felt the benefit of air-conditioned stadiums, where the temperature is set to a comfortable 21C.

The warmest the Three Lions have played in was 25C for the final group game against Panama, but that featured overcast skies. July is Mexico City's wettest month of the year, so when England headed to altitude last Sunday they would have felt at home - 18C and rain. The hot and humid weather in Miami will be a very different challenge.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.