Thunderstorms postpone entry and exit gate times. Before the France vs. Iraq match in Philadelphia

Bad weather in the Philadelphia area has resulted in stadium entry being postponed ahead of the 2026 World Cup game between France and Iraq. Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field) officials issued a warning about four hours before kickoff that fans should not travel to the stadium due to heavy rain and lightning forecast for the area. In a statement via Opening the door will be delayed. If you are not yet in the area "Please do not travel to Philadelphia Stadium at this time. We will announce a new gate opening time as weather conditions improve. If near the stadium, please seek shelter." Before the start of the match, there was periodic heavy rain in the surrounding area. However, another update about two and a half hours before the start of the match confirmed that the rain had passed and the stadium gates were back open for fans to enter. Despite warnings and uncertainty But the match in Group I, which was the 42nd match of the tournament The match starts at the scheduled time of 17:00 local time (22:00 BST). The competition rules state that If lightning is detected within eight miles of the stadium, play must be halted for 30 minutes and fans transported to a safe area. Currently in the tournament, no matches have been canceled or stopped due to serious thunderstorms. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Messi Misses Penalty in World Cup Match Against Austria](https://pitchpulsemedia.com/en/news/messi-misses-penalty-in-world-cup-match-against-austria) 2. [Haaland's Double Secures Norway's Spot in World Cup Last 32](https://pitchpulsemedia.com/en/news/haalands-double-secures-norways-spot-in-world-cup-last-32)