World Cup: France-Iraq enters lightning delay at halftime

PHILADELPHIA -- The Group I clash between France and Iraq has entered a delay for severe weather, the first such stoppage at the 2026 World Cup.

According to a FIFA spokesperson, play will be halted at least 30 minutes from the conclusion of the first half because of storms in the area.

As soon as referee Drew Fischer blew the whistle for the break, the following message was posted on the scoreboard: "Please exit the open seating area and seek shelter in the stadium as directed by the stadium staff. A severe thunderstorm is approaching."

France led 1-0 at halftime through Kylian Mbappe's third goal of the tournament.

While the first 41 matches of the tournament have proceeded without any weather stoppages, delays were a regular feature of the 2025 Club World Cup, also played in the United States.

Six matches were impacted in total. The most drastic was a two-hour stoppage following halftime in the match between Benfica and Auckland City in Orlando, Fla.

--Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media