France has qualified for the round of 32 at the FIFA 2026 World Cup following a 3-0 defeat of Iraq in their Group I match on June 23 in Philadelphia, Qatar News Agency reported. Kylian Mbappe scored in the 14th and 54th minutes before Ousmane Dembele added a third goal after play resumed from a two-hour rain delay. The victory took France to six points at the top of the group while Iraq remained on zero, according to the agency.
The match at Lincoln Financial Field was halted for two hours due to heavy rain before the second half could begin, marking the first weather-related postponement of a match at this tournament, Qatar News Agency said. Mbappe opened the scoring early to give the French a lead they never relinquished, and his second goal after the resumption effectively ended the contest. Dembele completed the scoring as France maintained control throughout the encounter, the agency added.
FIFA tournament data places France atop Group I with two wins from two matches, six points and a goal difference of plus five. Norway also sits on six points while Senegal and Iraq have yet to register any, according to standings published on the FIFA website. The top two teams advance automatically to the round of 32 in the 48-team competition, with third place potentially progressing depending on results elsewhere.
Mbappe’s brace lifted his career World Cup total to 16 goals, tying him with Miroslav Klose for second on the all-time list, two behind Lionel Messi, ESPN reported. The forward has now scored in each of his 16 World Cup appearances, an unprecedented ratio for the tournament, multiple outlets noted. At 27 he reached his 100th cap for France during the campaign, according to ESPN.
France, two-time winners of the tournament in 1998 and 2018, advanced unbeaten through UEFA qualifying by defeating Ukraine 4-0 in November 2025, FIFA records show. The team boasts an overall World Cup record of 39 wins in 73 matches across 17 appearances. This latest result extends their strong start in an expanded finals that includes first-time participants such as Iraq in this group.
Iraq, appearing in only their third World Cup after 1986, hold a finals record of no wins in six matches prior to this tournament, ESPN figures indicate. The side qualified through the Asian playoff path after narrowly missing direct qualification. Their campaign in Group I against higher-ranked opponents including world number three France has yielded no points so far, per the latest standings.
The rain interruption tested logistics at the venue but did not derail France’s progression, Qatar News Agency stated. No additional information on team selections or post-match reactions was contained in the initial report. The result confirms France’s place in the knockout stage with two group matches still to be completed by other sides.
