Despite being in halftime, the game between France and Iraq will be suffering a delay until the game resumes. France and Iraq’s high-stakes Group I match ground to a sudden halt on Monday afternoon, with Les Bleus holding a narrow 1-0 advantage courtesy of a 14th-minute strike from Kylian Mbappe. As the teams retreated to the locker rooms at Lincoln Financial Field, stadium officials announced that the start of the second half would be indefinitely delayed due to dangerous weather.
Severe thunderstorms and active lightning strikes in the South Philadelphia area triggered mandatory stadium safety protocols, forcing a minimum 30-minute delay before play can legally resume. Because the storm rolled in precisely during the intermission, the standard 15-minute halftime break will be extended while organizers wait for the cell to pass.
Under U.S. sporting regulations and strict FIFA safety guidelines, any lightning strike detected within an eight-mile radius of an open-air venue demands an immediate shelter-in-place order. Both teams must remain in their respective locker rooms and fans are required to clear the bowl to seek shelter under the concourses, with the mandatory 30-minute countdown clock resetting with every subsequent lightning strike.
La mi-temps et alerte orage. 30min d’interruption, on doit se mettre dans les coursives avec le public. Le match va repartir théoriquement avec 15min de retard. @franceinfo pic.twitter.com/ib8ANuuzPi— Julien Froment (@JulienFroment) June 22, 2026
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