Mbappe’s double sends France into the last 32 after a storm-hit win over Iraq
Kylian Mbappe struck either side of a two-hour weather delay and Ousmane Dembele finally scored at a major tournament as France beat Iraq to seal a place in the World Cup knockout rounds.
Jun 23, 2026
France booked their place in the World Cup last 32 with a game to spare, but they had to wait out a two-hour storm to do it. Kylian Mbappe struck either side of a lengthy weather suspension and Ousmane Dembele ended a long personal drought as Les Bleus beat Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia.
The Group I win, sealed at Lincoln Financial Field, leaves France top of the table and already through to the knockout rounds before their final group game. For Iraq, back at a World Cup for the first time in 40 years, it was a night that got away from them either side of the longest break of the tournament so far.
Mbappe opens before the skies do
France took control midway through the first half. Mbappe collected the ball on the edge of the area and bent a left-footed effort from around 22 yards beyond the dive of Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, a tidy finish off his weaker foot that gave the favourites a deserved lead.
They never looked like surrendering it, but the weather had other plans. With lightning detected near the stadium, officials took the players off at half-time and what is usually a short interval stretched into a stoppage of more than two hours, the first weather delay of this World Cup. France led 1-0 when the teams disappeared down the tunnel and stayed in front when they finally returned.
Dembele finally finds the net
The restart did little to change the pattern. Mbappe doubled the lead after the break, and his second of the night took his tally to four goals at this tournament.
Dembele then added the third, and the relief was obvious. The forward had gone through previous World Cups and European Championships without scoring for France, and this was his first goal at a major international tournament, a milestone that had been a long time coming for a player of his standing.
What it means for Group I
France can now manage their final group match knowing qualification is secure, with a chance to settle who finishes top. Deschamps will welcome the chance to rotate after a draining night, and the manner of the win, comfortable for long stretches, will please him more than the scoreline alone.
Iraq, meanwhile, are left to regroup. They competed in patches but lacked the quality in front of goal to trouble a France side that looked a level above once Mbappe got going. Their World Cup is not over yet, but they will need a result in their last game to keep their hopes alive.