Spain vs Georgia: Will World Cup qualifier football match be cancelled? Game at risk of suspension as Storm Alice hits Alicante
There is a risk that the Spain vs Georgia football match could be cancelled as Storm Alice hits.
The Spain-Georgia match, scheduled for this Saturday at 20:45, but it is at risk of suspension as bad weather is hitting Spain. The AEMET (State Meteorological Agency) has declared a red alert on the Alicante coast because about 180 liters of water per square meter are expected in 122 hours.
Schools are going to close, and a red alert is expected on Saturday. This could have consequences for the Spain-Georgia match according to 'El Desmarque', as it is being played in Elche.
Elche is a city located in the province of Alicante, within the Valencian Community in southeastern Spain. It is situated on the Vinalopó River, approximately 25 minutes west of the city of Alicante, and is famous for its UNESCO-listed Palmeral (palm grove).
Spain has already delayed its trip to Elche for Saturday's World Cup qualifier because of bad weather, the country's soccer federation said Thursday. The team planned to travel early Friday but changed plans after a weather alert was issued for southeastern Spain for the threat of heavy rain and flooding.
The federation said it asked authorization from UEFA to carry out all the pre-match activities, including the news conferences, at the team's training center in Madrid. The team is expected to travel to Elche on Saturday.
There have been no reports that the game is cancelled. According to Aemet, the country’s weather agency, the peak of Storm Alice is set to hit Spain today (Friday 10 October) and tomorrow (Saturday 11 October). Extreme rain is expected to hit popular locations.
Aemet warns: “The peak days of the storm are expected on Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th, with northeasterly winds reaching their peak intensity. The heaviest showers are expected in Valencia, Alicante, and Murcia, where they will be locally very strong, likely torrential, with accumulated rainfall exceeding 140 mm in 12 hours, most likely in the province of Valencia.”
Aemet cautioned on social media that residents should "follow the advice of civil protection", highlighting the risk of flash flooding in low-lying regions, waterways and ravines. The agency also warned of the "high" danger level posed by the weather system, adding that sudden torrential downpours could trigger localised flooding across the affected zones.