France beats Iraq in World Cup Match in Philadelphia as fans celebrate, despite lengthy weather delay

A weather delay lasting nearly two hours did little to dampen the spirits of French soccer fans Monday as France defeated Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia's third 2026 Men's World Cup match of the summer.

As supporters streamed out of Philadelphia Stadium following the victory, French flags waved above the crowd while fans sang, celebrated and posed for photos.

For some, the delay was little more than a minor inconvenience.

"We were obliged to wait one and a half hours, but it was nothing," said Yves Grenguillare, who traveled from France for the match. "We play every day in France with that weather! But that's OK. We drink beer, and we enjoy the end of the game. 3-0 for France, it's an amazing score."

Others said the atmosphere inside the stadium remained strong even after storms interrupted play.

"The energy was electric," said Marc LePrince, a Philadelphian whose family is French. 

LePrince said both teams brought the excitement.

"There were tons and tons of Iraq fans, beating their drums, having a great time. Everybody had a great time. I really wish it didn't get rained out, but as soon as the game got back, we brought the energy right back. It was amazing."

Video recorded inside the stadium during the weather delay showed Iraq fans chanting, dancing and playing drums and tambourines while waiting for play to resume.

The match marked Iraq's first World Cup appearance in 40 years, giving many supporters reason to celebrate, despite the final score.

"Very happy because we made it," said Iraq fan Muhammad Alabbasi. "Even though we lost 3-0. Nobody mad. They all dancing, they all celebrating. But we still have chance, the third game."

Others believed Iraq showed promise against one of the tournament favorites.

"We were one-nil down, I thought we played well in the first half," said Iraq supporter Tony Segar, who traveled from Australia for the game. "Second half, we gifted a second goal. Another mistake, same as (Iraq's match against) Norway. But I'm thinking, we're against one of the best teams in the world, some of the best players in the world. The boys did well."

The match was the third World Cup match hosted in Philadelphia this summer, with the next one, between Curaçao and Côte d'Ivoire, scheduled for Thursday.