liveUpdated 10m agoFollow live coverage as France look to secure their spot in the knockout round.The Athletic Live TeamJune 22, 2026 at 12:30 PM EDTKylian Mbappe struck twice in France’s opening game GettyFrance v Iraq — latestTwo-time World Cup winners France take on Iraq today in Group I.France beat Senegal 3-1 in their opening game while Iraq lost 4-1 to Norway, so the French are clear favourites for this one.Kick-off: 5pm ET, 2pm PT, 10pm BSTWatch: FOX (US), BBC (UK)Get involved in the conversation above or by emailing live@theathletic.comWhen does the World Cup end? Getty ImagesThe World Cup began on Thursday, June 11 and runs until the final on Sunday, July 19.The current group stage will be followed by knockout rounds as usual, until a winner is crowned at MetLife Stadium. A reminder of the format at this World Cup Getty ImagesWe are witnessing something new at this World Cup: a 48-team tournament for the first time. It ends a 24-year run of 32-team World Cups dating back to 1998.That affects the tournament schedule, with the group stage now made up of 12 groups of four teams, followed by the knockout rounds: the round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.At the end of the group stage, the top two teams in each group will automatically progress to the knockouts, along with the eight best third-placed teams.For those hoping to be crowned world champions, it means winning one more match than in the past, with eight games rather than seven standing between them and the famous trophy.Today's venue: Lincoln Financial Field Getty ImagesLincoln Financial Field, known commonly as "The Linc", has a new name for the duration of the World Cup.FIFA's rules on sponsorship means it has been renamed Philadelphia Stadium.It is the home of Philadelphia Eagles in NFL and its record attendance was set at an Ed Sheeran concert in 2023, when 77,900 fans packed in.Capacity for the World Cup is just under 66,000.Subscribe to The Athletic The AthleticThere is no better time to be a subscriber to The Athletic for all the sporting insight, analysis and live coverage you need during the World Cup and beyond.As well as the ongoing tournament in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, you can get your soccer fix with us for the rest of the year with our Champions League and Premier League coverage, plus Europe’s top leagues.Meanwhile, the MLB, WNBA and Formula 1 seasons are in full swing and we have golf, tennis and more on the cards.Subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here.How to watch France vs Iraq Getty ImagesToday’s game between France and Iraq can be viewed on FOX in the U.S. and BBC1 in the UK.What time is kick-off? Getty ImagesThis match begins at 5pm ET, which is local time in Philadelphia. That means it kicks off at 2pm PT, which is 10pm BST in the UK.In France, that means an 11pm start time and in Iraq it begins at midnight.Welcome to our World Cup coverage! Getty ImagesHello and welcome to The Athletic’s live coverage of this 2026 World Cup Group I fixture between France and Iraq in Philadelphia.France turned on the style in the second half of their opening match to beat Senegal 3-1 with two goals from Kylian Mbappe while Iraq fell victim to another of world football's most feared forwards as Erling Haaland scored twice in a 4-1 win for Norway.France, one of the pre-tournament favourites, will be expected to claim a comfortable win today, but can Iraq take a leaf out of Cape Verde's book?Stick with us to find out, and get all the latest news, analysis, play-by-play and more from our team of writers.