What are the weather delay rules at FIFA World Cup after France vs Iraq is interrupted due to severe thunderstorm?

The France vs Iraq FIFA World Cup 2026 match became the first game of the tournament to be stopped because of weather conditions after severe thunderstorms forced officials to delay the restart of the second half.

France were leading 1-0 at halftime at the Philadelphia Stadium after Kylian Mbappe scored his third goal of the tournament. However, players did not return immediately after the break due to dangerous weather conditions around the stadium.

The match eventually resumed after a 130-minute delay between proceedings. Mbappe scored immediately after the resumption to make it 2-0 against Iraq. It was his fourth goal of this World Cup and 16th overall since he started playing in the tournament.

Ousmane Dembele scored France's third goal a few minutes later to almost book a spot in the knockout stage.

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What are the weather delay rules in football?

The thunderstorm safety rules for matches in the United States are based on recommendations from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has partnered with FIFA to manage safety during the World Cup 2026.

As per the protocol, a match has to be stopped if lightning or dangerous electrical activity is detected within an eight-mile area around the stadium. During this time, players and match officials leave the field and move to the dressing rooms or other safe places. Fans are also asked to take shelter inside the stadium.

The game can only restart after there has been no lightning detected within the eight-mile radius for 30 minutes. If another lightning strike happens during the waiting period, the 30-minute timer starts again.

The same safety rule is followed before the start of a match. If there is a threat of dangerous weather near the stadium, kick-off can be delayed until conditions become safe.

Have weather delays happened before?

Weather interruptions have become a major talking point in football tournaments held in the United States.

During the FIFA Club World Cup in the US, several matches were affected by thunderstorms. Chelsea’s match against Benfica in Charlotte was delayed for several hours because of severe weather before eventually finishing after a long interruption.