France beats Iraq 3-0 after storm delay; Mbappé nets two in 100th cap
6 verified4 unconfirmed1 contested
France defeated Iraq 3-0 on Monday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to advance to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kylian Mbappé scored twice on his 100th international appearance, tying him for second on the all-time World Cup goals list with 16. Ousmane Dembélé also scored for Les Bleus. The match featured the tournament’s first weather-related delay, with play stopped at halftime for more than two hours due to heavy rain and lightning in the area. Mbappé’s first goal came in the 14th minute, and he added a second in the 54th minute after the delay. Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil made his first start of the tournament after captain Jalal Hassan conceded four goals in the previous match against Norway.
What’s verified
France defeated Iraq 3-0 to qualify for the knockout stage.
Kylian Mbappé scored two goals, moving to 16 career World Cup goals, tied for second all-time with Miroslav Klose.
Ousmane Dembélé also scored for France.
The match was delayed at halftime due to heavy rain and lightning; the delay lasted more than two hours.
The game was played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Mbappé earned his 100th international cap for France.
Where accounts differ
Sources give slightly different lengths for the weather delay. One source reports a “two-hour storm delay,” another says the total wait time for action to resume lasted “two hours and 11 minutes,” and a third states the delay was “just over two hours.” No other direct contradictions were identified.
Not yet confirmed
A single source reports that the stadium had a sellout crowd of 68,234.
One source mentions that France could return to Philadelphia to play Germany on July 4.
One source includes a quote from Iraq coach Graham Arnold about showing players footage during the delay.
One source provides the text of a FIFA statement issued during the delay and specific lightning-detection protocols.
Key figures
Kylian Mbappé (France forward)
Ousmane Dembélé (France forward)
Didier Deschamps (France coach)
Graham Arnold (Iraq coach)
Ahmed Basil (Iraq goalkeeper)
Lionel Messi (Argentina forward, holds record for most World Cup goals)
Miroslav Klose (former Germany striker, tied for second with Mbappé)
Aymen Hussein (Iraq striker, subbed out with apparent injury)
Sources: BBC News, abcnews.com, CBS Sports
