Philadelphia weather update ahead of Paraguay vs. France: Will rain and thunder affect FIFA World Cup match?

Paraguay will take on France in a 2026 FIFA World Cup last 16 tie at the Philadelphia Stadium later today.

The South American team managed to beat the better off 2014 champions Germany on penalties in the previous round after a 1-1 draw.

France, on the other hand, made little effort against Sweden, with Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola scoring in a 3-0 win.

The upcoming match is likely to be affected by the weather, with temperatures in the city set to rise to 38 degrees Celsius. The weather forecast also indicates a risk of rain and thunderstorms.

What happens if the match between Paraguay and France is postponed due to rain?

According to safety guidelines, a match is only temporarily suspended if there is a threat of lightning within a radius of 8 miles. If there are reports of such strikes, the match will be stopped and only resumed after a period of 30 minutes has elapsed from the last reported strike.

The group stage between France and Senegal in New Jersey was interrupted for 130 minutes after halftime following a spell of rain. Mexico’s round of 32 against Ecuador was also postponed by 60 minutes due to rain in Mexico City.

Published on July 5, 2026