France secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Iraq in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group I matchup at Philadelphia Stadium. Kylian Mbappé scored twice to give the 2022 runners-up a flawless 2-0 record and a goal differential. This dominant position puts France at the top of the group and virtually assures their advancement to the knockout stage.
The game experienced a significant weather delay when heavy rain forced a temporary suspension of play at halftime. Mbappé opened the scoring early in the 14th minute before the weather intervened. He netted his second goal shortly after the delay in the 54th minute. Ousmane Dembélé finalized the scoring with a strike in the 66th minute to seal the win.
With his two goals against Iraq, Mbappé reached 16 career FIFA World Cup goals. This officially ties him for the second-most goals in the history of the tournament. The star forward also scored a brace in France’s 3-1 opening match against Senegal, bringing his 2026 tournament total to four goals in just two games.
Iraq drops to the bottom of Group I with an 0-2 record and faces imminent elimination. The outcome increases the stakes for group rivals Norway and Senegal, who must now secure the second qualifying spot to advance.