Open-air soccer on a late afternoon in the summer introduces the risk of a delay due to thunderstorms.
Monday’s match between France and Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia has experienced a lengthy weather delay.
Much of the first half of the match that started at 5:00 p.m. ET was played in torrential rain. The game did not resume after halftime, due to lightning in the area.
The delay of nearly two hours is expected to end at 8:00 p.m. ET.
It’s an ongoing risk for other matches to be played outdoors over the balance of the tournament — especially for games played late in the day, after the summer heat and humidity have had a chance to fire up some electrical storms.
That will be particularly relevant on Sunday, July 19, when the final match begins at MetLife Stadium at 3:00 p.m. ET.
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