Kylian Mbappe has marked his 100th cap for France with a goal, striking the opener against Iraq in Group I as the forward and his side aim to seal a World Cup knockout spot.
Mbappe had already continued his remarkable record at the tournament with a double in France’s opening game against Senegal, and is relishing the chance to battle with Lionel Messi for the golden boot. The fortunes of the team will, though, be his primary focus as brings up a century of international appearances at the age of 27 in a fixture that France are expected to win well.
Iraq showed, however, a resilience against Norway that they have brought into this game. Though eventually beaten 4-1 by Norway, they fought back to level after Erling Haaland’s opener and manager Graham Arnold has promised that his team intend to take the game to the opposition again.
Either way, half-time has brought a weather delay amid heavy rain in Philadelphia.
Follow all of the latest from the Group I clash with our live blog below:
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France vs Iraq LIVE
- France face Iraq in World Cup Group I | Live on BBC
- 45' DELAY! Half-time brings weather delay after heavy rain hits game
- 14' GOAL! Mbappe smashes home shot from edge of box [FRA 1-0 IRQ]
- Kylian Mbappe wins 100th cap as he chases more World Cup success
- Mbappe's double helped 2018 winners to opening victory against Senegal
- Iraq beaten 4-1 in opener by Norway but have promised attacking approach
- France XI: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Barcola; Mbappe
- Iraq XI: Basil; Ali, Tahseen, Hashem, Doski; Al Ammari, Ismaeel; Bayesh, Iqbal, Qasem; Hussein.
Restart at 7:50pm ET, 12:50pm BST
00:40 , Alan SmithFifa’s latest statement says: “The second half is delayed due to adverse weather conditions. The game will resume at 19:50 local time.”
Signs of hope?
00:32 , Alan SmithThe players appear to be making their way out to warm-up and there is now a suggestion that game will restart in the next 30 minutes but FIfa’s communications remains vague.
Attendance announced
00:12 , Alan SmithThe attendance is 68,324. The majority of whom have gotten very, very wet.
Deschamps has 'stopped' updating players about weather
23:59 , Alan Smith"We're talking, we're recovering.,” he has told French media. “There's no point in anticipating it; there was an alert, then it disappeared, and then it came back... We're at the mercy of it.
"I've stopped giving them updates because it changes every 30 seconds. We'll see, depending on the time needed and whether or not there's any lightning... We're waiting, and then the important thing is to have enough time to get things going again. Almost like doing another warm-up, hoping it doesn't stop again..."
A not too common sight
23:58 , Alan Smith#GetThisChip - The last time two World Cup matches overlapped — excluding the final group-stage matchday (where it's standard) — was on 25 June 1994 in the United States: Belgium-Netherlands and Saudi Arabia-Morocco, both Group F Matchday 2 fixtures, kicked off simultaneously.…
— MisterChip (English) (@MisterChiping) June 22, 2026
Fifa statement on Philly delay
23:52 , Alan Smith“Fifa will follow the safety protocols established by the local authorities, and the match will resume as soon as it is safe to do so.
“The safety and security of all individuals is Fifa’s priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and cooperation.”
Fifa quietly scrubbed logos off World Cup stadiums – so one brand turned the cover-up into a marketing campaign
23:48 , Alan SmithOrganisers have gone to extraordinary lengths to erase unofficial names and logos from NFL stadiums hosting tournament matches, as brands take creative approaches to gaining from the World Cup show, writes Lawrence Ostlere in Houston
Fifa scrubbed logos off World Cup stadiums – so one brand has got creative
Update soon
23:40 , Alan SmithFans are starting to slowly make their way back into their seats and current word is that we will get an update on a potential restart time in the next five minutes.
Ribs, rainstorms and Republicans: Two weeks inside America’s supersized World Cup
23:32 , Lawrence OstlereSpecial report: On his travels around Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas, Lawrence Ostlere finds football fans, life-giving food and an odd marriage between the World Cup and the USA
Ribs, rainstorms and Republicans: Two weeks inside America’s supersized World Cup
Messi rewatch
23:26 , Alan SmithWhile we await further updates, those of us watching on from the UK are being treated to the highlights from Messi’s latest remarkable performance.
He was brilliant, of course, but there is a sense from these two games that they are even more of a one-man team than in Qatar - although that tournament started really badly for them.
The stadium is now pretty much empty
23:19 , Alan Smith
A severe thunder storm
23:16 , Alan Smith
Weather protocol explained
23:12 , Alan SmithWith Fifa adhering to rules set by local authorities during the tournament, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that if any lightning strike is detected within eight miles of a stadium the game has to be stopped.
That was a scenario seen several times during last year’s Club World Cup in the US, with six matches halted due to electrical storms.
If lightning strikes within eight miles, a half-hour countdown begins before play is permitted to resume. Any subsequent strike would reset that clock.
Issues could potentially arise if storms hit during the final round of group-stage games. The kick-off times of the two games in each group are synchronised to avoid affording an advantage to any nation by knowing what they need to do, although that may be unavoidable under such circumstances as a weather delay.
World Cup 2026 matches face prospect of long delays due to lightning
Another Mbappe landmark day
23:05 , Alan SmithFRA 🇫🇷 1-0 🇮🇶 IRQ (14') - Mbappé is the THIRD player in the entire history of the World Cup to score in his 100TH cap for his national team:
— MisterChip (English) (@MisterChiping) June 22, 2026
🇩🇪 2010: Miroslav Klose (2 vs Australia)
🇺🇾 2018: Luis Suárez (1 vs Saudi Arabia)
🇫🇷 2026: KYLIAN MBAPPÉ (vs Iraq) pic.twitter.com/FbJzGYYZTu
Restart delayed
23:01 , Alan SmithThe start of the second half will be delayed.
We are not sure for how long yet.
Plenty of time for France to turn on the style
22:59 , Chris WilsonNot a bad half for the neutral as we’ve seen a superb goal and some lovely play from the France forward line, though the final pass has been lacking on a few occasions.
You get the sense that Didier Deschamps won’t actually be too happy with that performance, as his side should be another goal to the good at least.
Nevertheless, we’ve got plenty of time for France to turn on the style here.
Delays on the way?
22:51 , Chris WilsonThe latest from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium...
As we get to half-time, we might be seeing the first delay of the day.
“Please exit the open seating area and seek shelter in covered areas of the stadium” is the advice for fans at the Philadelphia Stadium. A good few have not bothered taking heed of that advice though.
“A severe thunderstorm is approaching” is the warning.
Half-time! France 1-0 Iraq
22:50 , Alan SmithAdded time passes by without anything happening. That’s the break and fans are being asked to leave their seats and hide under the concourse, which does not sound promising.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:46 , Alan Smith45’ - Iraq have a free kick about 40 yards out. They have got some bodies up but Saliba heads it away.
There will be three added minutes.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:43 , Alan Smith42’ - Ali’s last-ditch slide has potentially stopped Mbappe from scoring a remarkable goal. The France star produces a pirouette on the edge of the box with three white shirts close by. But just as it looks like he has developed enough space to shoot, Ali stretches a leg to win the ball. Hashem steps in to then clean it up.
The rain continues to get heavier.
'Fingers crossed for no thunder or lightning'
22:42 , Chris Wilson at the Philadelphia StadiumThe latest from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium this evening...
“The rain has begun falling in Philadelphia as fans scramble for their ponchos.
“It started suddenly but it’s already very heavy, and it’s affecting play almost right away with some loose touches and lunging tackles.
“Nothing interrupting play yet but we’ll need to keep our fingers crossed for no thunder and lightning.”
France 1-0 Iraq
22:42 , Alan Smith40’ - Mbappe tries an audacious, ludicrous attempt from about 45 yards after spotting Basil off his line but the effort is off target. It came after Iraq lost concentration when protesting for a foul they thought was committed by Rabiot.
'Fingers crossed for no thunder or lightning'
22:41 , Chris Wilson at the Philadelphia StadiumThe latest from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium this evening...
“The rain has begun falling in Philadelphia as fans scramble for their ponchos.
“It started suddenly but it’s already very heavy, and it’s affecting play almost right away with some loose touches and lunging tackles.
“Nothing interrupting play yet but we’ll need to keep our fingers crossed for no thunder and lightning.”
France 1-0 Iraq
22:40 , Alan Smith39’ - Twice in as many minutes Olise has failed to produce passes which would have set team-mates clear in front of goal. The first he tried to be too clever, the second was misplaced. But these are the kind of judgments that can be costly against the better teams.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:38 , Alan Smith37’ - The rain has started hammering down and fans are heading to the concourses in their droves, while even the stewards are trying to cover themselves with ponchos.
No indication yet of there being any thunder or lightning nearby - so let’s keep our fingers crossed there are no delays.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:37 , Alan Smith35’ - Kone has been excellent so far. Sure, the opposition may not be top level but he is dominating in the centre alongside Rabiot, providing the base from which the front four can thrive.
The only complaint is that they have not created too much in the box yet.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:34 , Alan Smith32’ - The break may have momentarily helped Iraq out but France are back on the ball, squeezing their opponents back. There is no great pace to the play but it’s the ability to spark into life that makes them so dangerous.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:31 , Alan Smith30’ - Much better and direct from Iran as Qasem forces a corner from Digne. That said Al Ammari’s inswinger is too deep and completely wasted.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:28 , Alan Smith27’ - And Al Hamadi’s first act is to meet a cross from Doski with a header which is sent wide. Iraq may be boosted a little by a half-sight of goal though.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:27 , Alan Smith25’ - We’re back underway. Ipswich’s Al Hamadi replaces Hussein, the Iraq centre-forward who hobbles off with an unspecified muscular injury.
'A few boos at the hydration break'
22:25 , Chris WilsonThe latest from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium this evening...
“A few boos as the two teams take the hydration break, though they’re more muted considering it’s an unpleasantly warm day in Philadelphia today.
“Still fairly overcast skies but the thunderstorms seem to be staying away for now, though it means it’s stayed uncomfortably warm and humid!”
France 1-0 Iraq
22:23 , Alan Smith22’ - Tahseen nudges Mbappe when meeting a cross. It’s not a penalty but Iraq’s fans direct boos at the goalscorer anyway.
And that leads us to the hydration break.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:22 , Alan Smith21’ - Mbappe has now moved level with Brazil’s Ronaldo as the third top scorer in tournament history - three behind Messi, whom we presume the France star will overtake. If not in this tournament then in four years time.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:20 , Alan Smith20’ - France are toying with Iraq a little. It is both a joy to watch and a little uncomfortable. Barcola produces a majestic touch which garners ‘ooohs’ from the crowd, though his pass inside is narrowly out of Mbappe’s reach.
France 1-0 Iraq
22:18 , Alan Smith17’ - That is also Mbappe’s 11th in his past 12 appearances for the Bleus, making it 59 in total on his 100th appearance.
Iraq presently have every player back and France are still finding gaps to exploit. Olise causes havoc again, combining well with Kounde before the final pass falls short.
Mbappe moves to 15 World Cup goals
22:18 , Chris Wilson at the Philadelphia StadiumReaction to that opener from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium...
Mbappe was clearly in the mood from the first whistle – as evidenced by a bit of showmanship just before the opener – and now he has the goal he wanted, rifling in a great strike from just outside the area.
It was a lovely hit, though Iraq ‘keeper Ahmed Basil might wonder if he could have done better.
In any case, Mbappe now has his 15th World Cup goal as he chases new record holder Lionel Messi on 18.
GOAL! France 1-0 Iraq (Mbappe, 14)
22:15 , Alan Smith14’ - And there it is. From you know who with a ferocious left-footed strike from just outside the box after Olise fed the ball in from the right. That’s his 15th World Cup goal.
France 0-0 Iraq
22:14 , Alan Smith12’ - Iraq’s defending already has a sense of last-ditch about it. France are pushing and pushing, Olise and Mbappe pulling out some neat feints on the right before the former has a shot blocked, and you feel an opener is not far away.
France 0-0 Iraq
22:09 , Alan Smith8’ - Now Mbappe gets on the end of a Digne cross but his effort is directed wide. Iraq’s fans behind the goal ramp up the noise.
France 0-0 Iraq
22:08 , Alan Smith6’ - Mbappe makes his first proper run forward, dribbling down the inside left. It’s dangerous for Iraq so Al Ammari decides to kick Mbappe, earning himself a yellow card. From the free kick there is some dragging in the box, with Upamecano going down. VAR checks but there is no penalty. And then France win a corner which is taken short before Iqbal nips the ball away from Dembele.
'Mbappe not too far away'
22:05 , Chris Wilson at the Philadelphia StadiumHere’s the latest from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium...
Not too far away from a goal within the opening minute or so as Mbappe lunged at that ball in.
It looked like an early sign of things to come but Iraq have knocked it around well at times early on, though of course that France onslaught can arrive at any time.
France 0-0 Iraq
22:04 , Alan Smith3’ - A steady enough start. Kone, in for Tchouameni, fouls Doski and moments later pulls the shirt of Qasem but it goes unnoticed by the referee. Not the most confident of openings from the midfielder.
France 0-0 Iraq
22:01 , Alan Smith1’ - Iraq are underway, trying the increasingly familiar boot it into touch. Except it goes wrong and the ball heads out for a France goal-kick. Yet to see one of those moves bring success at the tournament.
Titanium - again
22:00 , Alan SmithAt which point did they decide to play Sia’s Titanium just before kick-off? It didn’t happen in the opening days of the tournament - at the Azteca on day one they played Lose Yourself! - but now seems to be a staple of every fixture. And that’s not a complaint.
France vs Iraq LIVE
21:54 , Chris Wilson
Almost time
21:52 , Alan SmithHere come the teams - making a now familiarly long, L-shaped walk from the tunnel near a corner flag to the centre circle.
France will be playing in blue, Iraq in white.
Iraq's long, long road
21:51 , Alan SmithNo nation at this tournament had to play so many games to qualify - Iraq had 21 matches, culminating in an intercontinental play-off win in Mexico.
No wonder they are determined to give it a go despite this fiendishly difficult group.
The controversial France midfielder enabling Kylian Mbappe to shine at World Cup
21:44 , Alan SmithIt has not always been easy for a neutral observer to get behind Adrien Rabiot, whose dependency on the pitch has been repeatedly concealed by a curious, maddening penchant for irritating coaches, clubs and team-mates as much as opponents.
Yet if France are to reach an unprecedented third straight final, and wrest back the trophy from Argentina’s grasp, Didier Deschamps needs his team’s maligned midfield mainstay to keep pursuing what seems a neverending path to proving critics wrong.
The controversial France midfielder enabling Mbappe to shine at World Cup
Big cheers for Mbappe & Dembele
21:38 , Chris Wilson at the Philadelphia StadiumThe latest from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium...
The biggest cheers of the day so far are reserved for Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele as their names are read out as the stadium announcer relays the starting XIs.
There were plenty of France shirts dotted around the city earlier on, with plenty of citizens from other countries also wearing the famous blue. It seems like many are excited at the chance to see Mbappe and the current Ballon d’Or holder this evening.
Your move, Kylian
21:33 , Alan SmithHere is Jack Rathborn’s report from Lionel Messi’s latest bit of history today - meaning Mbappe needs to score four here to overtake him
The Texan sunlight beamed through the glass windows of the Dallas Stadium to bring a divine backdrop to Lionel Messi’s latest two-goal masterpiece.
A glorious 17th World Cup goal, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record, became his latest act to bolster immortal status back home in Argentina and across the world.
After a first hat-trick on this stage to swat Algeria aside, a typically delightful finish with his left instep sent the world champions on their way to a 2-0 victory over the terrier-like Austria. And a second, his 18th in the tournament’s history, came through brute force in stoppage time to extend this relentless start from the world champions, who top Group J and have a place in the last 32 sewn up.
Lionel Messi’s historic World Cup moment sheds light on a vital quality
France vs Iraq LIVE
21:26 , Chris WilsonBoth sides are out warming up in Philadelphia, though Iraq’s warm-up is significantly more intense at the moment...
Officials' own history
21:20 , Alan SmithIt’s not quite Messi and Mbappe-level landmarks but, according to Fifa, for the first time ever, a men’s World Cup match will feature an all-Canadian officiating trio with referee Drew Fischer joined by assistants Micheal Barwegen and Lyes Arfa.
Storm fears allayed - for now
21:14 , Alan SmithThose early weather concerns have hopefully passed off and the fans are now filling their seats with kick-off abut 45 minutes away.
Efficiency - not the name of the game
21:03 , Alan SmithFor all of Messi and Mbappe’s brilliance, there have been a couple of more efficient performers so far...
Most clinical #FIFAWC2026 players as per fewest touches per goal 😎, >90 minutes (@impect_official)
🥇 #ErlingHaaland 🇳🇴 & #BrianBrobbey 🇳🇱 8.5 ❗️#Senegal is warned 🚧 #NORSEN#Undav 🇩🇪 #Musa 🇭🇷 #Larin 🇨🇦 #Mbappe 🇫🇷 #Kane 🏴 #David 🇨🇦 #Ueda 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/q6IF2pQ037
Golden boot standings
21:00 , Alan SmithWorld Cup golden boot standings
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina), 5 goals
2. Deniz Undav (Germany), 3 goals (2 assists)
3. Jonathan David (Canada), 3 goals
= 4. Vinicius Jr (Brazil), 2 goals (1 assist)
= 4. Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), 2 goals (1 assist)
= 4. Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands), 2 goals (1 assist)
= 4. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), 2 goals (1 assist)
= 4. Maximiliano Araujo (Uruguay), 2 goals (1 assist)
= 4. Ayase Ueda (Japan), 2 goals (1 assist)
= 9. Harry Kane (England), 2 goals
= 9. Matheus Cunha (Brazil), 2 goals
= 9. Erling Haaland (Norway), 2 goals
= 9. Yasin Ayari (Sweden), 2 goals
= 9. Elijah Just (New Zealand), 2 goals
= 9. Kai Havertz (Germany), 2 goals
= 9. Kylian Mbappe (France), 2 goals
= 9. Johan Manzambi (Switzerland), 2 goals
= 9. Cyle Larin (Canada), 2 goals
= 9. Ismael Saibari (Morocco), 2 goals
= 9. Folarin Balogun (USA), 2 goals
= 9. Brian Brobbey (Netherlands), 2 goals
Iraq team news confirmed
20:59 , Alan SmithIraq XI: Basil; Ali, Tahseen, Hashem, Doski; Al Ammari, Ismaeel; Bayesh, Iqbal, Qasem; Hussein.
Subs: Talib, Hassan, Al Hamadi, Ali, Al Reeshawee, Amyn, Farij, Jasim, Putros, Saadoon, Sher, Sulaka, Yakob, Younis, Yousif.
France XI is near full strength
20:55 , Chris Wilson at the Philadelphia StadiumReaction to the France team news from Chris Wilson, who’s in place at the Philadelphia Stadium...
Didier Deschamps has clearly not decided to take it easy on Iraq this evening, with the France boss naming an almost full-strength side for tonight’s game.
The big news is that Kylian Mbappe will get his 100th international cap, and he’ll be supported by the likes of Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern star Michael Olise once again.
Bradley Barcola is rewarded for his goal against Senegal with a place in the starting line-up as Desire Doue drops out, while Theo Hernandez and Aurélien Tchouaméni are the only other changes – Manu Kone and Lucas Digne come in for that duo.
Line-ups
20:48 , Chris WilsonFrance XI: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Barcola; Mbappe
Subs: Risser, Samba, Gusto, Hernandez. Hernandez, Konate, Lacroix, Kante, Tchouameni, Zaire-Emery, Cherki, Doue, Akliouche, Mateta, Thuram
Notre XI de départ pour défier l’Irak 🇫🇷🔥
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) June 22, 2026
Rendez-vous à 23h00 pour notre deuxième match de Coupe du Monde, en direct sur M6 et beIN SPORTS 1 ⚽️📺
🇫🇷🇮🇶 #FRAIRQ | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/MnpzDevS8b
The old school trait turning Mbappe into Monsieur World Cup
20:36 , Richard JollyThere is something old-fashioned about a player defined by the World Cup. Kylian Mbappe can seem a face of sleek modernity, but perhaps he is a throwback footballer. The World Cup is his stage; perhaps no footballer for decades can say that to the same extent.
As Mbappe claimed France’s goalscoring record, and advanced past Pele and Just Fontaine’s totals in World Cups to draw level with Gerd Muller, Didier Deschamps talked of the global audience. Mbappe, he said, did not want to pass Olivier Giroud’s tally for Les Bleus in a friendly. He did it instead against Senegal in the World Cup, in the world’s most famous city. He can prosper when the eyes of the footballing planet are on one match, and one alone. And, in an ever more crowded fixture list, that is rarely the case. Mbappe started this tournament with a very different double of high class. “In this match with a global audience, he has a real aura,” noted Deschamps.
His aura, unlike his peers’, comes from such days. Some of the legends of earlier generations were defined more by World Cups. Santos and Napoli fans may disagree but Pele and Diego Maradona were. Paolo Rossi, Mario Kempes and Fontaine too. For audiences outside South America, Garrincha and Jairzinho were always going to be. For those outside England, Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst are.
The old school trait turning Kylian Mbappe into Monsieur World Cup
The controversial midfielder enabling Mbappe to shine
20:27 , Alan SmithIt has not always been easy for a neutral observer to get behind Adrien Rabiot, whose dependency on the pitch has been repeatedly concealed by a curious, maddening penchant for irritating coaches, clubs and team-mates as much as opponents.
Yet if France are to reach an unprecedented third straight final, and wrest back the trophy from Argentina’s grasp, Didier Deschamps needs his team’s maligned midfield mainstay to keep pursuing what seems a neverending path to proving critics wrong.
The controversial France midfielder enabling Mbappe to shine at World Cup
Flying France
20:18 , Alan SmithA look at what France’s players got up to on their flight to Philadelphia for this match. Wonder what the combined screen time is for a player who wins the World Cup.
✈️ Travel from 𝑩𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏 ➡️ 𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒂 with Les Bleus 💙 pic.twitter.com/nAJ257MgJo
— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) June 22, 2026
Tonight's referee ...
20:09 , Alan Smith... is Canada’s Drew Fischer, who is officiating at a first World Cup.
He has been to two Club World Cup’s previously.
Storm warning
20:07 , Alan SmithFans are not being left into the stadium yet owing to storms in the area.
But there is no indication yet around whether it may impact kick-off time.
Injury watch
20:00 , Flo CliffordWilliam Saliba said he was playing through “gritted teeth” after a long and gruelling season, but France should be able to call on the Arsenal star as well as Theo Hernandez, Malo Gusto and Dayot Upamecano, who have been wrapped in cotton wool to ensure they are fully fit.
Iraq’s Ali Jasim was withdrawn against Norway due to a knock but has shaken it off in training this week.
The weak link theory that will decide who wins the World Cup
19:50 , Alan SmithWhile Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and co draw inevitable focus, there is an argument that this tournament will be won by the 11th name on the teamsheet.
Every team has flaws, including France, but Richard Jolly assesses the least weakest link for all the top contenders.
The weak link theory that will decide who wins the World Cup
Mbappe eyes more milestones
19:41 , Alan SmithKylian Mbappé became France's all-time top scorer in their 3-1 win over Senegal (58 goals), overtaking Olivier Giroud (57).
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 22, 2026
He could add to that tonight against Iraq, and assuming he plays, Mbappé will also earn his 100th cap for Les Bleus. pic.twitter.com/XGBd6IsB0t
Ribs, rainstorms and Republicans: Two weeks inside America’s supersized World Cup
19:32 , Lawrence OstlereOn his travels around Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas, Lawrence Ostlere finds football fans, life-giving food and an odd marriage between the World Cup and the USA
Ribs, rainstorms and Republicans: Two weeks inside America’s supersized World Cup
Predicted teams
19:22 , Alan SmithFrance XI: Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Rabiot, Kone; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe
Iraq XI: Basil; Ali, Tahseen, Hashem, Doski; Bayesh, Al-Ammari, Iqbal, Ali Jasim; Hussein, Al-Hamadi
France vs Iraq LIVE: Welcome!
19:08 , Alex PattleKylian Mbappe is set to win his 100th cap for France as the forward and his side seek more World Cup success against Iraq.
Mbappe continued his remarkable record at the tournament with a double in France’s opening game against Senegal, and is relishing the chance to battle with Lionel Messi for the golden boot. The fortunes of the team will, though, be his primary focus as he prepares to bring up a century of international appearances at the age of 27 in a fixture that France will be expected to win well.
Iraq showed, however, a resilience against Norway to suggest they could pose problems. Though eventually well beaten 4-1, they fought back to level after Erling Haaland’s opener and manager Graham Arnold has promised that his team intend to take the game to the opposition again.
Follow all of the latest from the Group I clash with our live blog, right here.
