Weather suspends Iraq-France World Cup match

Shafaq News- Philadelphia

The World Cup match between Iraq and France was suspended around the end of the first half on Monday after severe weather disrupted play at Philadelphia Stadium.

France were leading 1-0 when the interruption took place, after Kylian Mbappe scored in the 14th minute of the Group I match.

Organizers had also delayed the opening of stadium gates and instructed fans near the venue to seek shelter before kickoff due to previous weather instability.

Under safety protocols applied at World Cup matches in the United States, play is stopped if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium. The match can resume only after 30 minutes pass without another nearby lightning strike.

The weather disruption added further tension to a match already carrying major stakes for Iraq, who entered the fixture needing a result after a 4-1 opening defeat to Norway. Iraq had also suffered a first-half setback when captain Aymen Hussein was forced off injured and replaced by Ali Al-Hamadi.