The Group Stage match of the FIFA World Cup between the national teams of France and Iraq resumed after a forced stoppage caused by a thunderstorm near Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, USA. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Before the start of the second half, players from both teams returned to the field and conducted a brief warm-up to the applause of fans who were able to return to the stands after restrictions were lifted.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that the match was at risk of being canceled due to adverse weather conditions. After the first half ended, organizers announced a postponement of the resumption due to thunderstorm activity and the threat of lightning strikes near the arena.
Organizers expected to resume the match around 04:00 Kazakhstan time. Ultimately, the pause lasted more than an hour.
At the time of the stoppage, France led 1-0. The only goal of the first half was scored in the 14th minute by French captain Kylian Mbappé, who struck from outside the penalty area into the opponent's goal.
Organizers had warned of possible weather-related problems before the opening whistle. According to weather forecasts, heavy rain and thunderstorms were expected in Philadelphia on the evening of June 22, which could affect the match.
According to the tournament's safety protocol, the match must be immediately stopped in the event of a lightning strike within approximately 13 kilometers of the stadium. After each such incident, the resumption of play is delayed by at least 30 minutes. If lightning is recorded again, the countdown restarts.