England football fans will need to adjust their body clocks next summer as World Cup matches involving major European teams are set to kick off after midnight.
The expanded 48-team showpiece will be held across the USA, Canada and Mexico – with kick-off times expected to be 5pm BST, 8pm, 11pm and 2am. The latter two kick-offs will pose a problem for pubs as they are usually only allowed to stay open until 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and 12am or 12.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.
However, it it not uncommon for pubs to be given special dispensation in some cases and it remains to be seen whether or not that’s the case next season. England can secure qualification for the World Cup later this month if results go their way in Group K.
The kick-offs are set to mirror the times that were used at the Club World Cup this summer.
That tournament was beset by heat issues, so the marquee matches at the World Cup are set to be in the later slots to aid player welfare.
For example, while the 5pm and 8pm would be the prime time slot for European television audiences, the former kick-off time would equate to a midday kick-off on the east coast of America and the latter would be midday kick-off on the west coast.
Speaking about what the World Cup could learn from the Club World Cup, FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani admitted it was ‘kick-off times’.
Elaborating further, he told the Leaders Conference in Twickenham: ‘Kick-off times are always an issue in our region because summers are hot in Canada and US.
‘We’re having conversations daily with European media and other world media, in terms of what’s best and which are the stadiums that you can play at 3pm. That’s all in the mix now.
‘Once the actual schedule comes out after the draw, we will do our best to ensure it’s taken into consideration. Will it be that every game will be absolutely perfect from a kick-off time, from a TV perspective? I don’t know.’
The Club World Cup drew criticism from managers and players who struggled with the soaring temperatures in the United States when they kicked off at midday local time.
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique acknowledged this after beating Atletico Madrid 4-0 in a midday kick-off in Los Angeles with temperatures reaching nearly 40 degrees Celsius under the sun and 60 per cent humidity.
‘The match was clearly influenced by the temperature,’ he said. ‘The time slot is great for European audiences, but the teams are suffering.
‘In terms of play, it’s impossible to perform at a very high level for 90 minutes.’
His sentiments matched that of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Maresca who complained of dizziness due to the heat throughout the tournament.
‘Honestly, the heat is incredible. The other day I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy,’ the Argentine said.
‘Playing in this temperature is very dangerous, it’s very dangerous. Moreover, for the spectacle, for the people who come to enjoy the stadium, for the people who watch it at home.
‘The game, the speed of the game is not the same, everything becomes very slow.’
Matches at 2am for European audiences at a World Cup are rare with the last one being Ivory Coast’s 2-1 win over Japan in Brazil in the 2014 edition.
