Sports Update 5 hours ago ⏱️ 2 min read

France vs Iraq faces prospect of repeated interruptions amid fears World Cup clash could take hours to complete

France vs Iraq faces prospect of repeated interruptions amid fears World Cup clash could take hours to complete
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FRANCE’s World Cup clash with Iraq is at risk of being suspended due to bad weather.

The second group stage match will take place at the Gillette Stadium in Philadelphia on Monday – but there are fears of a huge storm in the area.

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This is the third game out of six scheduled to be played at the ground but issues are being forecasted.

A weather warning is in place for high winds, lightning, and potential tornados as well as heavy rain.

And it has sparked worries that the game could be delayed and take hours to finish.

Fifa rules state that lightning within eight miles (13km) of the stadium will lead to suspensions in order to protect players and fans.

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Emergency warnings are in place with further regulations to delay the restart by half an hour every time there is a fresh lightning strike in the perimeter.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 10pm UK time and 5pm for locals.

Fixtures at the Club World Cup last summer were thrown into chaos due to bad weather.

Six games in total were affected with Chelsea‘s last-16 tie against Benfica taking over five hours to complete in total.

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Outdoor activities in the city are now expected to be limited with travel disruptions also predicted.

The Lemon Hill fan fest park could also be closed early.

Executive producer Michael DelBene said: “We’ve been very lucky, this past week has been wonderful.

“We encourage people to come out even if it’s raining. In the event of dangerous weather, high winds or lighting or anything like that, we will evacuate the site.”

The site was cleared on Thursday due to high winds with DelBene adding: “It only took us just a few minutes to evacuate the site.

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“Everyone got home safely and it allowed us to continue with the day.”

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