The World Cup faced its first weather delay of the tournament on Monday, as thunderstorms delayed Iraq's Group I match versus France by roughly two hours.
Heavy downpours opened in the 35th minute in the fixture between the two sides. France entered half-time up 1-0 thanks to a goal from Kylian Mbappe before officials announced a delay of about a half-hour due to storms. A tornado warning was also issued shortly after kick-off.
“A severe thunderstorm is a approaching,” Lincoln Financial Field's scoreboard read while advising the poncho-wearing football fans to seek shelter.
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US President Donald Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino alongside the 2026 World Cup champions: Spain. Reuters -
Ferran Torres scores Spain's first goal past Argentina's Emiliano Martinez in the 106th minute of extra time at the World Cup final. Reuters -
Argentina's Lionel Messi after losing out to Spain in the final. Reuters -
England's players with their medals, after winning the third-place play-off against France in Miami. AFP -
French striker Kylian Mbappe challenges English defender Ezri Konsa at the Miami Stadium. AFP -
England forward Bukayo Saka, centre, celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal. AFP -
Enzo Fernandez of Argentina celebrates scoring the equaliser against England at Atlanta Stadium. AFP -
Anthony Gordon scores the opening goal for England against Argentina. EPA -
Spain's players celebrate after beating France to reach the World Cup final. Reuters -
Spanish forward Lamine Yamal, left, is challenged by French defender Theo Hernandez in Arlington. AFP -
France forward Kylian Mbappe shows his disappointment during the semi-final defeat to Spain. AFP -
Mikel Merino celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Belgium in Inglewood. AFP -
Messi controls the ball against Switzerland's Granit Xhaka during the quarter-final match between Argentina and Switzerland in Kansas City. AFP -
Jude Bellingham celebrates after winning the quarter-final match between Norway and England in Miami. AFP -
France talisman Kylian Mbappe was on target in his team's 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco. EPA -
Gessime Yassine looks dejected after the match as Morocco's World Cup comes to an end. Reuters -
Fans in Buenos Aires celebrate Argentina's victory against Egypt. Getty Images -
Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Egypt in Atlanta. AFP -
Gregor Kobel of Switzerland saves Cucho Hernandez's penalty for Colombia in the shoot-out in Vancouver. AFP -
Portugal's Bernardo Silva is left in disbelief after a missed chance against Spain, in Arlington. Reuters -
Cristiano Ronaldo is dejected after the match against Spain, as his Portugal team are eliminated from the World Cup. Reuters -
Belgium's Hans Vanaken scores their third goal past Matt Freese of the US, in Seattle. Reuters -
Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere scores their first goal against the US. Reuters -
Australian referee Alireza Faghani shows a red card to England defender Jarell Quansah against Mexico. AFP -
Erling Haaland scores his and Norway's second goal against Brazil. AFP
The match resumed at 8pm local time, two hours and 10 minutes after the first half ended.
Fifa follows the advice of the local authority - which in this case is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. According to the rules, matches must be delayed for a half-hour if lightning is detected within a 13km radius of a stadium. Any subsequent lightning strike would reset the timer.
Players and team officials must also return to their dressing rooms immediately once a delay is ordered, although France and Iraq were already in the dressing room at half-time when the decision was made.
The stadium's gates also opened an hour later than scheduled due to thunder in the area earlier in the day.
The weather delays brought back memories of a 2025 Club World Cup fixture between Chelsea and Benefica in Charlotte, North Carolina, where lightning delayed the match for nearly two hours. The game was in its 87th minute of play when a weather system forced it to be paused.
A World Cup match later on Monday between Norway and Senegal in New Jersey also faced a possible weather-related delay.
In the end, the match went off without any delay, but the players contended with wet, windy, and misty conditions.
Norway ran out 3-2 winners, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to take him to four goals in two World Cup matches.
What other factors are causing delays?
Hydration breaks have become a hot topic at this World Cup.
Fifa has introduced mandatory drinks breaks in each half of all games in North America. Each break lasts three minutes.
Some see it as a welcome measure, allowing players to take on much-needed fluids during soaring temperatures.
Critics argue the enforced breaks disrupt the flow of play. England head coach Thomas Tuchel said the hydration breaks "interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought".
Fans at the stadiums have let their feelings be known, with the now customary jeers every time a referee signals for the hydration break.
Others see it as little more than a money grab by Fifa.
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Spain fans cheer after their team scores the first – and winning – goal during the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina. AFP -
A fan at the final match wears a T-shirt with imagery from a 2007 photoshoot, which shows Argentina's Lionel Messi bathing Spain's Lamine Yamal as a baby. Reuters -
An Argentina fan during the final match at the New York New Jersey Stadium. AFP -
England supporters ready to wig out, as they wait to see their side take on France in the third-place play-off. Reuters -
Argentina fans before the semi-final against England in Atlanta Stadium. AFP -
Dejected England fans after the 2-1 defeat. Reuters -
France supporters struggle to watch as their side fall to defeat against Spain, at a viewing party in Los Angeles. EPA -
Spain fans feel their side has one hand on the trophy after beating favourites France to reach the final. AFP -
Argentina fans wear oversized headwear depicting Lionel Messi and Emiliano Martinez inside the stadium before the Switzerland match. Reuters -
English former football player David Beckham gives a thumbs up during the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens. AFP -
French fans celebrate after their team's 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco at Boston Stadium in Foxborough. AFP -
Spanish actors Javier Bardem, centre left, and Penelope Cruz, centre right, celebrate during their team's quarter-final win over Belgium. AFP -
Egypt supporters watch their team take on defending champions Argentina in Atlanta. EPA -
Argentina fans roar their side on to victory in Atlanta. EPA -
Morocco's fans celebrate their team's last-16 victory over co-hosts Canada in Houston. AFP -
A Brazil fan watches his team take on Norway in New Jersey. AFP -
Norway supporters perform their famous Viking row celebration in New Jersey. AFP -
Egypt fans watch their national team triumph over Australia in the last 32. Reuters -
An Algeria supporter in Vancouver to watch his team take on Switzerland. AFP -
Swiss fans show their support during the match with Algeria. EPA -
A Portugal fan cheers ahead of the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Portugal and Croatia at the Toronto Stadium in Toronto. AFP -
England players and fans celebrate after their team beat the DR Congo 2-1 to qualify for the round of 16 at the World Cup. Reuters -
Brazil fans inside Houston Stadium before the match against Japan. Gabriel Martinelli scored a last-minute winner to send the Samba boys into the last 32. Reuters -
An Iraq fan during the team's match against Senegal. AFP -
Japanese fans show their support during a 1-1 draw with Sweden, with both sides set for the last 32. Reuters
According to the BBC and The Wall Street Journal, additional advertisement breaks are expected to bring in around $250 million in the US market alone. The worldwide figures could be substantially more, making this one of the most financially lucrative World Cups in history.
