[96133] Severe disruptions in the match between Iraq and France in the 2026 World Cup due to thunderstorms

2026 World Cup: Thunderstorms delay the match between Iraq and France

Real drama unfolded during the 2026 World Cup football match between the national teams of Iraq and France, held in Philadelphia. According to واحد العراق, the match was stopped and delayed several times due to severe weather conditions that included thunderstorms, strong winds, and lightning. According to the protocol cited in Alrabiaa Sports TV, the match was halted when the meteorological load reached "red level," with the return to the field conditional on a 15-minute warm-up after the storm concluded.

Reports from the field were filled with conflicting updates regarding the match resumption times. Initially, وكالة الأنباء العراقية reported the resumption of the second half at 1:40 Baghdad time, but subsequently, cumulative updates were published regarding repeated delays to 2:20, 2:50, and even 3:00 AM. The RMC network was among the first to warn about the potential cancellation of the match due to the extreme weather conditions.

The event led to a tense atmosphere around the stadium. Media outlets such as أخبار غزة الأن reported the evacuation of fan stands due to "heavy rains," while رياضة مع حسن علي updated earlier on the organizers' decision to close the fan zone and delay the opening of gates for safety reasons. TRT عربي noted that this is the "first round of its kind" to trigger the weather protocol in the current tournament.

The reports reflect great frustration among the audience and local media accompanying the Iraqi team, as updates came from a variety of channels – from الترا عراق to official news agencies – all monitoring every change in the schedule from the referees and FIFA with vigilance.