The BBC's coverage of the World Cup was unexpectedly interrupted on Tuesday morning17:07, 23 Jun 2026Updated 17:51, 23 Jun 2026The BBC was forced to improvise during its late-night World Cup coverage.‌Kelly Cates returned to screens on Monday night (June 22) to host BBC One's coverage of France's Group I match against Iraq, held at Philadelphia Stadium in the USA.‌Kelly was joined in the Salford studio by Olivier Giroud, Joe Hart and Gael Clichy. Coverage began at 9.30pm and was expected to last until 12.30am, but an unexpected delay led the broadcaster to make some last-minute decisions.‌Fans and players at the Philadelphia stadium were left drenched when a torrential downpour began in the 35th minute of the match. The game continued until half-time, with France leading 1-0.As Kelly and the pundits began their analysis of the first half, spectators were ordered to take shelter as they were warned of a "severe thunderstorm approaching".‌It was soon confirmed that the game would not reccommence for at least an hour. The BBC had only planned for their live coverage to last until 12.30am, with plans quickly being changed.Instead, a rerun of Ollie Watkins' press conference from earlier in the day was shown, as well as a feature from the Scotland camp with Eilidh Barbour.As the delay went on, the football coverage was soon taken off air in favour of rolling BBC News coverage.‌A FIFA spokesperson said: "Due to adverse weather conditions in Philadelphia, including the risk of lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, the FIFA World Cup match between France and Iraq has been suspended. A 30-minute break has been announced."The statement continued: "However, the situation is still being observed to determine if further delays are anticipated. FIFA will follow the safety protocols established by the local authorities, and the match will resume as soon as it is safe to do so.‌"The safety and security of all individuals is FIFA's priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and cooperation."The BBC returned to its World Cup coverage at 12.45am, with commentators Steve Wilson and Stephen Warnock leading the events, rather than Kelly in the studio.Kick-off for the second half then took place at 1am, with France later winning the match 3-0.Article continues belowMany BBC viewers were left confused and frustrated by the delay, with one person writing on X (formerly Twitter): "Why f*** are the BBC polluting my living room with Keir Starmer [news], when I'm just trying to enjoy France vs Iraq?! Get this off!!"Another added: "If this weather suspension goes on any longer the BBC are going to find themselves with no other option but to play footage from the 1936 Berlin Olympics," while a third said: "First weather delay of the 2026 World Cup just hit."Coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and ITVX