France secured their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 with a commanding 3-0 victory over Iraq at Philadelphia Stadium on Monday, as Kylian Mbappe scored twice on his landmark 100th appearance for Les Bleus.
The match marked the first ever meeting between France and Iraq, and the tournament favourites wasted little time asserting their dominance. Within two minutes, Lucas Digne broke behind the Iraqi defence and delivered a cross that found Manu Kone. His scuffed effort almost fell perfectly for Mbappe, who came close to opening the scoring.
France eventually made their pressure count in the 14th minute with a moment of brilliance from their captain. Mbappe drifted inside from the left edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful strike into the corner of the net. The stunning finish brought up his 15th World Cup goal, drawing him level with Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima on the all time tournament scoring list.
Michael Olise continued his outstanding international form by providing the assist. The playmaker has now been directly involved in five goals across his last three appearances for France, with three goals and two assists. It also marked the first time he has recorded a goal involvement in three consecutive matches for the national team.
Iraq’s first meaningful opportunity arrived on the half hour mark when Merchas Doski delivered a cross that found Ali Al Hamadi, but the striker could only direct his header wide of the target.
Mbappe nearly produced another magical moment before the break. In the 42nd minute, he spun brilliantly away from his marker and accelerated through the Iraqi defence, only for Hussein Ali to do enough to prevent a dangerous finish.
Heavy rain then swept across Philadelphia, creating difficult conditions for both teams and supporters. Shortly before half time, FIFA activated Severe Weather Mode as lightning approached the stadium.
Fans were instructed to take shelter, and FIFA released an official statement confirming the suspension of the match.
“Due to the adverse weather conditions and the risk of lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, the Fifa World Cup match between France and Iraq has been suspended.
“A 30 minute break has been announced, however the situation is still being observed to determine if further delays are anticipated.
“Fifa will follow the safety protocols established by the local authorities and the match will resume as soon as it is safe to do so.
“The safety and security of all individuals is Fifa’s priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and co-operation.”
Following a delay of more than two hours, France quickly regained control after play resumed. Their second goal arrived in the 56th minute after a costly Iraqi mistake while attempting to build from the back. Ahmed Qasem overhit a pass towards goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, who failed to bring the ball under control.
Ousmane Dembele capitalised on the error and selflessly squared the ball to Mbappe, who tapped into an empty net for his second goal of the evening. The strike moved Mbappe onto 16 World Cup goals, level with Miroslav Klose and just two behind Lionel Messi’s tournament record.
France effectively ended the contest in the 67th minute. Olise surged forward once again before finding Dembele inside the penalty area. The winger calmly lifted his finish over the goalkeeper to score his first ever World Cup goal.
The goal sparked celebrations among the French players, who have repeatedly backed Dembele despite growing scrutiny from the media over his lack of goals at major tournaments. Both Mbappe and coach Didier Deschamps publicly defended him before the match, and the breakthrough strike removed a significant burden from the Ballon d’Or winner.
Mbappe almost completed his hat trick late in the game. In the 90th minute, he burst through the centre of the pitch and left defenders trailing behind. However, his final touch carried him slightly wide, and his shot drifted beyond the post. Moments later, he left the field to a standing ovation as Marcus Thuram replaced him.
When the final whistle eventually arrived after a two and a half hour interruption, France celebrated a convincing victory and qualification for the knockout rounds. Mbappe’s brace and Dembele’s first World Cup goal highlighted another impressive performance from Didier Deschamps’ side.
France now advance to the Round of 32 with a perfect start to their Group I campaign, while Iraq face a difficult task in their final group match against Senegal as they fight to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
