Daijiworld Media Network - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Jun 23: France booked their place in the Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after defeating Iraq 3-0 in a Group I clash that lasted nearly four hours due to a lengthy weather interruption in Philadelphia.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice, either side of a more than two-hour suspension, while Ousmane Dembele added another goal as the 2018 world champions moved to six points from two matches. The victory confirmed France’s progress to the knockout stage, with their final group match against Norway expected to decide the group leaders.
The match at Lincoln Financial Field was overshadowed by severe thunderstorms that forced officials to halt play, evacuate spectators from exposed areas and delay the restart by 131 minutes.
France were leading 1-0 when the half-time whistle was blown at 5.49 pm local time. What was expected to be a 15-minute break turned into a lengthy stoppage as heavy rain, strong winds and lightning affected the area.
Play eventually resumed at 8 pm after officials confirmed safe conditions under thunderstorm protocols. The match became the longest World Cup game in history in terms of elapsed time.
The suspension followed rules requiring matches to stop when lightning is detected within eight miles of the stadium. Play can restart only after a 30-minute period without lightning, with each fresh strike restarting the countdown.
France coach Didier Deschamps said safety remained the priority and accepted the decision.
“It is the first time this happens to me and I hope it's the last,” Deschamps said, adding that players had to warm up again after the extended break.
Before the weather interruption, France had already taken control of the game. Mbappe opened the scoring with a left-footed strike from outside the box, beating Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil.
The goal marked Mbappe’s third of the tournament and highlighted his continued impact on the World Cup stage.
Iraq suffered another setback when striker Aymen Hussein was forced off with an injury in the 26th minute. Hussein had scored in Iraq’s opening match and remains one of the team’s key attacking players.
After the restart, France quickly regained control. Dembele pressed high and capitalised on a mistake from Iraq defender Zaid Tahseen before setting up Mbappe for his second goal.
Dembele then completed the scoring with his first-ever World Cup goal as France secured a comfortable victory.
Mbappe had a chance to complete a hat-trick late in the match but missed before being substituted in the 90th minute.
The result ended Iraq’s hopes of an upset, with Graham Arnold’s side unable to match France’s quality, depth and attacking strength.
Mbappe’s brace also added to his growing World Cup legacy. The France captain moved to 16 World Cup goals, equalling Germany’s Miroslav Klose and surpassing Brazil legend Ronaldo’s tally of 15.
Lionel Messi remains ahead with 18 World Cup goals after scoring twice for Argentina against Austria earlier.
Deschamps praised Mbappe’s leadership and dismissed criticism of the forward being too individualistic.
“He is the captain and he is a very good example for the whole squad,” Deschamps said.
The storm-hit encounter also highlighted the challenges of hosting a summer World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, where extreme weather conditions could disrupt matches.
While France handled the disruption with experience and composure, the Philadelphia clash served as a reminder that weather could become another unpredictable factor in the expanded 2026 tournament.