During France’s second Group I match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Iraq, players spent two hours and 10 minutes in the dressing room due to heavy rain and thunderstorms, marking the first such interruption in the tournament’s history.
France led 1-0 at halftime thanks to a well-taken goal by Kylian Mbappé, but spectators inside the stadium were informed during the break that severe weather conditions had developed.
Under FIFA regulations, if lightning is detected within 13 kilometers of a World Cup stadium, those inside are warned in advance and the match is suspended. Referees then wait between 15 and 30 minutes for conditions to improve before allowing play to resume.
The thunderstorms and rain eventually reached the stadium, forcing officials to delay the game. Play resumed only after two hours and 10 minutes, when the weather appeared to have calmed.
The second half lasted 47 minutes, with no scheduled cooling break being taken.
Since the FIFA World Cup began in 1930, this was the first time a match had been suspended for as long as two hours and 10 minutes.
Two minutes of stoppage time were added, and France went on to score twice more through Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, securing a 3-0 victory. The win gave Les Bleus six points in Group I and guaranteed their place in the Round of 16.
Mbappé has now scored 16 goals in 16 World Cup matches, leaving him just two goals behind Lionel Messi, who holds the record for most goals in the tournament with 18.
During the FIFA Club World Cup held in the United States last year, several matches were also interrupted by bad weather, including Chelsea’s clash with Benfica, which was suspended for four hours and 38 minutes.
