France's World Cup match against Iraq in Philadelphia was delayed at halftime on Sunday due to thunderstorms in the area, FIFA said

France and Iraq were forced to remain in their dressing rooms at halftime after thunderstorms delayed the start of the second half of their World Cup match in Philadelphia on Monday.

A FIFA spokesperson said play would not resume until at least 30 minutes after the halftime interval began.

An announcement displayed on the stadium scoreboard urged spectators to leave open seating areas and take shelter inside the venue as severe thunderstorms approached.

France held a 1-0 lead at the break thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s 15th World Cup goal, scored in the 14th minute.

There was no immediate indication of when the match would restart.

“We had a warning, then it disappeared, then it came back,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “I’ve stopped updating the players because the situation changes every 30 seconds. We’re waiting, and when play resumes, the key thing will be to have enough time for another warm-up so the team can get back into rhythm.”

World Cup matches in the United States are subject to local lightning safety regulations, which can result in lengthy delays.

Under US protocols, play must be suspended immediately if lightning is detected within an eight-mile (13-kilometre) radius of a stadium. The match can only resume after 30 consecutive minutes without another lightning strike.

Each new lightning detection resets the countdown, meaning delays can last for several hours if storm activity continues.

FIFA has no fixed rule requiring a match to be abandoned after a specific period, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis depending on the circumstances.