Tornado sirens blared through the night skies of Kansas City on Saturday, disrupting Scotland’s return to the World Cup after 28 years. The alarming wails signaled an imminent threat of severe weather, prompting locals and World Cup attendees to seek shelter. The FIFA Fan Festival in Kansas City closed early at 5pm due to the forecasted 80 mph winds from the US weather bureau.

A tornado watch remained in effect for the entire metro city area until 11pm, impacting football fans and causing widespread power outages during the Scotland game. The state capital of Missouri saw festivities cut short as residents and visitors were advised to take cover.

The US National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes touching down in the Kansas City region before 9pm, leaving over 68,000 homes without power. Emergency responders rushed to secure neighborhoods dealing with downed power lines and fallen trees.

Despite power outages disrupting the Scotland vs. Haiti game, England also faced challenges as they arrived in Kansas City just before the severe weather hit. Thomas Tuchel’s England squad had to end a community training session early due to the tornado warnings at 5pm, with fans sent home and the team seeking shelter indoors.

The weather added to the disruptions faced by England at the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following a recent theft of training equipment. Tuchel’s team will kick off their campaign against Croatia in Texas on Wednesday, followed by matches against Ghana and Panama in the Group L schedule.