France’s World Cup 2026 qualifying match against Iraq has been preliminarily postponed by one hour due to severe weather conditions. The game was originally scheduled to begin at 11 PM local time. Attention surrounds Kylian Mbappé’s performance, with speculation on whether he can replicate Erling Haaland’s recent two-goal feat against Iraq. Observers are also watching to see if Mbappé can close the gap on Lionel Messi in the all-time international goalscoring charts. The delay impacts the start of France’s qualifying campaign. Further updates regarding the rescheduled kickoff time are expected as the weather situation evolves. The match will be a key test for the French team as they begin their journey toward World Cup qualification.