June 22, (THEWILL) — France secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout rounds with a commanding 3-0 victory over Iraq in Group I, although the match was interrupted by a lengthy weather delay in Philadelphia.
Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a brilliant individual effort before severe thunderstorms forced officials to suspend play at halftime for nearly two hours.
When the match resumed, Iraq’s hopes of mounting a comeback quickly faded. A costly error during a short goal-kick routine gifted possession to Ousmane Dembélé, who unselfishly set up Mbappé for his second goal of the evening.
Dembélé later capped off an impressive performance by adding France’s third goal to seal the win.
The brace saw Mbappé reach 16 career World Cup goals, drawing level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose on the tournament’s all-time scoring chart.
The victory guarantees France a place in the Round of 32 and strengthens their position as one of the tournament favourites.
For Iraq, the defeat confirms their elimination from the competition after two consecutive losses.
Despite the weather disruption, Les Bleus remained composed and clinical, delivering another statement performance as they continue their pursuit of a third World Cup title.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
