FIFA Fan Festival in Philadelphia shuts down as storms threaten region

Philadelphia's FIFA Fan Festival is closing early Sunday evening because of expected storms.

In a post on social media around 6:30 p.m., organizers said the festival on Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park is closed for the remainder of the day. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the entire Philadelphia region through 1 a.m. Monday.

"Bummed to miss out on Mexico-England but forecasted storms in Philadelphia will force us to close," a post on Instagram said. 

Severe storms are in the forecast Sunday night and could bring damaging winds, lightning and flooding.

Extreme heat and strong storms disrupted several Fourth of July events over the weekend. The One Philly: Unity Concert for America on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Saturday was paused for more than two hours as storms swept through the region. 

Mexico and England are set to meet for a Round of 16 match in Mexico City at 8 p.m. Eastern Sunday.

More than 400,000 people have attended the festival in Philly since it opened in June.