France-Iraq: meeting interrupted for almost two hours due to bad weather in Philadelphia
By OnzeActu · · 1 min read
The France-Iraq meeting during the 2026 World Cup was interrupted for several minutes due to extreme weather conditions in Philadelphia. While waiting for the restart, French players passed the time by playing cards, according to Didier Deschamps.
The duel between France and Iraq, played in Philadelphia as part of the 2026 World Cup, was marked this Monday by an unexpected interruption. The cause was storms and a violent episode of bad weather which forced officials to suspend the match for almost two hours.
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During this interruption, the French players, accompanied by Didier Deschamps and his staff, had to wait in the locker room. Questioned after the meeting, the Blues coach gave some details about this unusual wait: “We played cards to pass the time,” confided Deschamps, evoking the relaxed atmosphere despite the atypical situation.
Despite a long wait and a restart on a pitch made slippery by the rain, the two teams finally returned to the pitch to finish the match. The episode will undoubtedly have left its mark and reminded us of the hazards that major international competitions can hold, even for the best prepared teams.