Bad weather disrupts the World Cup: Lightning, downpour and two-hour delay in France-Iraq match

A violent storm with intense lightning and torrential rain interrupted the match between France and Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, marking the first weather-related postponement in the 2026 World Cup.

The group stage match was halted in the first half when France was leading 1-0 on a goal by Kylian Mbappé.

Nearly 70,000 people left the stands

Canadian referee Drew Fischer ordered the players to return to the locker rooms for half-time, while an urgent message appeared on the stadium scoreboards: “Please exit the open seating area and seek shelter in covered areas of the stadium.”

Nearly 70,000 fans, many of them equipped with ponchos and raincoats, were surprised by the strictness of the safety protocol. AFP reported that in less than 15 minutes, the aisles of the “Linc” turned into a chaotic scene reminiscent of a large train station during rush hour.

Some fans did not hide their confusion. A Parisian attending the match with his two children said, “We don’t really know what to do. We haven’t been given many instructions. I’ve never seen that in 40 years of football. In France we don’t stop a match for rain.”

The crowd stayed and watched France’s victory

Despite the heavy, unrelenting rain, the vast majority of spectators decided to stay in the stadium. The high price of tickets—which in many cases exceeded $400—was a decisive factor.

Finally, after more than two hours of interruption, the lightning stopped and the match resumed. France ended up winning comfortably by a score of 3–0.

This incident was not isolated. The next day, the Spanish national team had to suspend its training session due to a tornado risk. During the 2025 Club World Cup, which served as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, six matches were delayed due to the weather, one of which was suspended for four and a half hours.