England fans may be in for some late nights or early mornings next summer if the Three Lions qualify for the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Thomas Tuchel’s squad have taken full points from their first five qualifiers for the tournament and are set to secure their spot across the Atlantic soon.
Officially, England requires one victory and a draw to qualify for the World Cup. However, if Serbia and Albania lose points beforehand, England could secure their place this month despite only playing one qualifier against Latvia on October 14.
If the team meet expectations and make it to the World Cup, football fever is sure to grip the nation. But those planning to watch the games from home might be in for a surprise.
As reported in the Daily Mail, it is expected that matches will take place at 5pm, 8pm, 11pm and 2am BST during the group stages of the competition. However, this could change following the Club World Cup, which was held in the US last summer.
During that tournament, several clubs and players struggled with the American summer heat, with Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez experiencing dizziness due to the high temperatures inside the stadium. The two earlier kick-off times of 5pm and 8pm coincide with midday on the east and west coast, respectively, when the sun is at its peak.
This could lead to one of two scenarios unfolding. Fixtures might be scheduled for morning kick-offs across the United States, Mexico and Canada, which would prove advantageous for European viewers; alternatively, they could be delayed until later in the afternoon, creating additional late-night encounters to accommodate.
Beyond this, public houses will require special permission to remain open past 11pm Sunday through Thursday and beyond 12am or 12.30am Friday to Saturday for match broadcasts. Whilst such extensions have frequently been approved for major tournaments, it’s uncertain whether this will apply to games commencing at 2am UK time.
The precise kick-off schedule for World Cup matches will be determined after the group stage draw on December 5, according to FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani.
Speaking about kick-off timings at the Leaders Conference in Twickenham, Montagliani explained: “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.”