The opening of the gates of the stadium in Philadelphia (USA), where France and Iraq are scheduled to face each other this Monday (22), was resumed after the forecast of a storm was considered to have been exceeded, sources from the World Cup organization told AFP.
The order for those present to seek shelter as quickly as possible remained in force for just over 15 minutes, although few in the stadium parking lot heeded the warning and many fans continued eating and socializing in their cars, AFP journalists found.
Authorities considered the imminent arrival of a storm over about two and a half hours before the start of the match corresponding to the first phase of the 2026 World Cup.
The announcement was initially accompanied by heavy showers over the eastern US city, although the precipitation quickly ceased afterwards.
“A severe storm is approaching. Leave the stands and seek shelter in the stadium,” read the screen at Lincoln Financial Field when authorities issued the warning. A similar message was announced by the announcer.
According to current regulations in the United States, any outdoor event can be postponed by at least 30 minutes if lightning is detected within a radius of 13 km.
The weather forecast announces a storm for the start of the France-Iraq match at 5 pm local time (6 pm in Brasília).
After beating Senegal (3-1) in their debut, Les Bleus can stamp their passport to the next stage if they win against the Lions of Mesopotamia.
