Stadium gates for France v Iraq game in Philadelphia now open
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group I – France v Iraq – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. – June 22, 2026 General view of weather warnings displayed on a big screen inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
NEW YORK, June 22 : World Cup organisers opened the gates at Philadelphia Stadium after a 40-minute delay after they had urged fans to stay away from the venue amid threatening weather in the area on Monday.
In a statement issued ahead of the day’s France v Iraq Group I game, organisers said gates would not open as scheduled because of inclement weather and advised supporters who were not already near the stadium not to travel.
Fans in the vicinity of the venue were instructed to seek shelter while officials monitored conditions.
World Cup matches in the United States can face lengthy delays because FIFA must comply with local lightning safety regulations.
Under U.S. protocols, play is suspended immediately if lightning is detected within an eight-mile (13-km) radius of a stadium and can only resume after 30 minutes have passed without a further strike.
Any new lightning detection resets the countdown, meaning delays can stretch for several hours if thunderstorms persist. FIFA has no fixed time limit after which a match must be abandoned, with each situation assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Source: Reuters
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
About The Author
