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Rain Halts World Cup Match: France Leads Iraq in Downpour
23 Jun
Summary
- A severe thunderstorm caused a two-hour delay during halftime.
- This was the first rain delay of the tournament.
- Grounds crews worked to clear standing water from the field.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms forced a delay of more than two hours during halftime of a World Cup match between France and Iraq. The game was initially delayed a few minutes before 6 p.m. EDT on Monday and resumed at 8 p.m. This was the first rain delay of the tournament and a rare midgame stoppage due to weather.
With France leading 1-0, fans were directed to seek shelter as severe weather approached Lincoln Financial Field. Sheets of rain fell throughout the halftime break, with thousands of fans congregating in stadium concourses. After nearly two hours, teams returned to the field to warm up as crews worked to remove standing water.
FIFA rules pause games for 30 minutes if lightning is detected within 8 miles, with each strike resetting the clock. Previously, FIFA had a reputation for continuing matches even in extreme weather, such as a 2014 game in Brazil that continued through torrential downpours.
