France routed Iraq at the 2026 World Cup with a two-hour break between halves due to a thunderstorm

The French national team confidently defeated Iraq with a score of 3:0 in the group stage match of the 2026 World Cup. The match in Philadelphia was memorable not only for the result but also for a long halftime break, which was extended by nearly two hours due to a severe thunderstorm, reports UNN.

Details

The French opened the scoring already in the 14th minute of the match. After a pass from Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappé scored.

At the end of the first half, the match was suspended due to a powerful thunderstorm and lightning near the stadium. According to US and FIFA safety protocols, the teams and spectators were forced to wait for improved weather conditions for over two hours.

Mbappé scored a brace after the resumption of play

After the match resumed, France quickly consolidated its advantage. In the 54th minute, Mbappé scored a brace, capitalizing on a pass from Ousmane Dembélé.

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Another 12 minutes later, Dembélé himself added his name to the list of goal scorers, bringing the score to a crushing 3:0.

The score did not change until the final whistle. Thanks to the victory, the French team earned three important points in Group I.

Earlier we reported that the match France – Iraq became the first at the 2026 World Cup to be interrupted due to adverse weather conditions.