EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey, and PHILADELPHIA — Severe weather threatened to upend two World Cup matches Monday night as thunderstorms moved across the mid-Atlantic.
France–Iraq in Philadelphia, scheduled for 5 p.m. ET, and Norway–Senegal in New Jersey, scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, were the first two matches of the tournament that dealt with significant weather concerns. The matches in outdoor stadiums had to contend with a storm system bringing high humidity and the possibility of damaging winds and tornadoes.
France and Iraq completed their first half without incident, with a Kylian Mbappé screamer giving the French a 1–0 halftime lead. But the rain picked up around 5:30 p.m., about 37 minutes into the match, and fans donned ponchos, but did not move from their seats. At halftime, a seek shelter notice was announced in the stadium due to lightning in the area, and fans were directed out of the open stands and into the covered concourse.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Philadelphia until 6:45 p.m. The start of the second half was delayed until at least 7:00 p.m. as fans began to trickle back into the stands, giving Fox a narrow window to complete the game before Norway–Senegal kicks off.
