Thunderstorms could disrupt France v Iraq at 2026 World Cup under lightning protocol | OneFootball

Thunderstorms are forecast in Philadelphia, according to CBS News Philadelphia. France’s World Cup match against Iraq on Monday, scheduled for 23:00, 17:00 local time, could be interrupted under lightning protocols.

Les Bleus have already had to adapt to heat and storms this June. Their training on Friday was briefly halted by a passing storm.

Forecasts point to around 33 degrees, plus rain and a risk of lightning for the fixture.

Under the US protocol, any lightning within eight miles, 13 km, of the stadium forces a suspension of at least 30 minutes.

That framework produced major delays at the Club World Cup in summer 2025. Chelsea’s round-of-16 tie with Benfica stretched to four hours 38 minutes after multiple weather stoppages.

At the Netherlands v Sweden match in Houston, spectators were kept inside the covered stadium after full-time because of storms in the area. Aside from that post-match incident, the 2026 tournament has so far avoided serious weather disruption.

Source: Le Progres