Paraguay vs France at SERIOUS RISK of delay due to severe weather conditions; FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash

Les Bleus defeated Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America is all set to host the Round of 16 fixtures in the FIFA World Cup 2026 between two-time world champions France and South American outfit Paraguay.

Les Bleus have unquestionably been the best team in the tournament so far, winning every single one of their group stage and knockout fixtures most convincingly. They are coming after defeating Sweden in the Round of 32 clash and will be Didier Deschamps’ side will be keen to go all guns blazing against Paraguay.

Paraguay are coming after pulling one of the biggest upsets in the FIFA World Cup 2026 after getting the better of four-time world champions Germany in penalties. They finished as one of the best third-ranked teams after finishing third in Group D behind the USA and Australia.

However, ahead of the big game between France and Paraguay, the Greek God of rain and storm, Zeus, seems to be indignant. Now there is a high chance that the game can be delayed. In this article, we find out more about this news.

Also Read: Paraguay vs France pitch & weather report – Conditions revealed ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 clash

Will Paraguay vs France match get delayed?

Unlike other venues, Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a completely open-air venue and not even partially covered. Moreover, the temperature in Philadelphia soars as high as 40 degree centigrade.

The humidity is quite high; which makes the wet bulb temperature even higher. Player safety will be at risk as there are increased chances of dehydration and fatigue due to extreme weather conditions.

To make things even worse, weather forecasts predict high chances of rain and thunderstorms in that time. According to FIFA rules, play is stopped immediately if lightning is within 10 kilometres. The match cannot resume until 30 minutes after the very last thunderclap or flash.

The game is originally scheduled to take place at 5:00 PM local time. But there are high chances of interruptions and delays due to thunderstorms.

According to reports, FIFA is considering the possibility of delaying the kickoff time to 8:00 PM local time. The sky is expected to be clear by the evening, and the mercury level is also expected to drop down at night.

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