Tournament organisers are putting contingency plans in place for this year’s World Cup in Japan, as that country is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.
The tournament will start on 20 September, with the final taking place on 2 November.
Japan is especially vulnerable to extreme weather in September. In September last year, a typhoon knocked out Osaka Airport, and a strong earthquake rocked the northern island of Hokkaido.
‘A lot of what we will do in the coming six months is contingency planning,’ World Cup tournament director Alan Gilpin told AFP.
‘It would appear that it’s that first period of the tournament – when it is still typhoon season – that we’re likely to have some issues. That is the busiest part of the tournament, so we’ve got to be ready.’
While knockout matches could be postponed, the packed pool-stage schedule means a draw could be declared for matches that are unable to be played because of the weather.
