Lightning threat could delay France-Iraq World Cup match in Philadelphia
The World Cup match between France and Iraq is scheduled to kick off at 00:00 Monday night, which is early Tuesday morning, in Philadelphia, but it may not start on time because of expected thunderstorms. Forecasts call for lightning around match time, raising the possibility that the game could be delayed or even suspended.
If that happens, it would be the first time in this tournament that weather disrupts the schedule. A similar concern surrounded the opening-round match between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, but that game went ahead as planned.
Sports 5 noted that comparable weather problems were seen at last summer’s Club World Cup in the United States, when six matches were delayed or halted. So far, all matches at the 2026 World Cup have proceeded without interruption, and organizers and fans are hoping that continues.
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