The report says a recent match between France and Iraq was delayed by around two hours because of heavy rain, storms and lightning. In the United States, play is reportedly stopped when lightning is detected within eight miles of a stadium.
That creates a difficult problem for . A match can be paused for safety reasons with no realistic alternative, but the delay may continue long after the other game in the group has finished. The team returning to the field would then know whether it needs a draw, a victory or a specific goal difference to advance.
The simultaneous-kickoff rule would remain in place on paper, but its competitive purpose would be weakened.
The rule was introduced after the infamous West Germany-Austria match at the 1982 World Cup. Both teams already knew that Algeria had beaten Chile 3-2, leaving the European sides aware that a narrow West German victory would send both through.
Horst Hrubesch scored after 10 minutes, putting the score at 1-0. With that result suiting both teams, the match lost its attacking intensity. The final 80 minutes produced little meaningful competition, and the episode became a lasting symbol of how tournament incentives can distort a match.
responded by ensuring that decisive group fixtures would start together.
The weather threat cannot be removed by a regulation. may need contingency plans, including greater flexibility over kick-off times, clearer restart procedures and stronger communication with broadcasters and teams.
The next decisive group round will test whether the rule can survive conditions beyond football’s control. If storms again separate the final whistles, the problem will not be a historical curiosity-it will be a live tournament issue.