The match between France and Iraq, valid for Group I of the World Cup, was suspended at half-time, when the Europeans were leading 1-0, due to the risk of lightning near the Philadelphia stadium. Heavy rain fell at the end of the first half.
As soon as Canadian referee Drew Fischer ended the opening half, a warning on the screens at Lincoln Financial Field instructed fans to leave the stands and seek shelter in covered areas due to a storm.
This is the first stoppage caused by storms in this World Cup. The United States has a strict protocol in case of electrical discharges recorded near arenas.
The game can only be resumed after 30 minutes have passed without new electrical discharges within 16 kilometers of the stadium.
The same message that warned about the approach of a storm was displayed before the start of the match, temporarily closing the stadium gates. Shortly afterwards, the lightning forecast was considered exceeded and the opening of the gates was resumed.
The recommendation is from the National Weather Service (NWS), which determines the evacuation of fans and delegations.
Without a specific protocol for storm situations, FIFA does not have a clear definition of the time limits for resuming matches.
The American host cities most susceptible to the storm season are Kansas City, New Jersey and Miami, as well as three whose stadiums have retractable roofs: Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Houston (NRG Stadium) and Dallas (AT&T Stadium).
