Desperate Argentina fans were observed running across a 10-lane New Jersey highway in an attempt to reach MetLife Stadium for the World Cup final. The supporters were seen navigating busy traffic lanes with the stadium in sight, potentially after traveling from New York City, which experienced significant flooding from torrential rains the previous day.
Vehicles had to slow and stop to allow the fans to cross safely. Although traffic appeared relatively light around the stadium on Sunday, the exact reason for the fans' risky highway crossing remains unclear. More than 80,000 fans were expected to attend the final match between Argentina and Spain.
The tournament has been marked by weather disruptions, with previous games experiencing delays due to extreme heat and lightning. The final itself faced some uncertainty regarding its kick-off time.
Heavy rain inundated New York streets on Saturday, leading to submerged cars and pedestrians wading through chest-high water. Between two and four inches of rain fell in some areas, accompanied by a tornado warning. A flood watch was in effect for parts of New Jersey and New York City until early Sunday morning.
While the most severe weather had passed by Sunday morning, the prior day's conditions caused considerable travel chaos. Hundreds of flights into the New York area faced delays and cancellations. The Federal Aviation Administration issued ground stops at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark airports until at least 5 p.m. ET on Saturday due to thunderstorms.
The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was also flooded, stranding drivers and forcing some to seek safety on the roofs or hoods of their vehicles as water levels rose.
