"Another issue?!": Fans left fuming as FIFA plan to schedule next year's World Cup matches post midnight

FIFA are reportedly considering to schedule late kick-offs at the 2026 World Cup. (Image credits - Heute, License Details)

FIFA is planning to alter matchday timings of the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America to avoid the scorching weather, which was also observed during this summer's Club World Cup in the USA. Reports from Sky Sports have indicated that such an alteration in the match timings would see several top nations playing post midnight UK time, which has left the European and Asian spectators and fans fuming.

In this year's Club World Cup, matches were played at 12:00, 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 EST, but these early kick-offs placed players in perilous conditions. Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique condemned his team's midday kick-off in Los Angeles against Atletico Madrid, which was played in 40°C heat, while Chelsea's star player Enzo Fernández also stated having experienced dizziness on the field due to the extreme weather conditions.

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, who is overseeing the 2026 World Cup in his role as FIFA's vice-president, admitted that "lessons had been learnt" from the Club World Cup regarding the scheduling of matches.

Speaking at the Leaders Conference in Twickenham, Montagliani stated, “Kick-off times are always an issue in our region because summers are hot in Canada and the US."

He further added, "We’re having daily discussions with broadcasters about what’s best and which stadiums can realistically host matches in the afternoon."

The larger 48-team tournament translates to 11 straight days of four games per day during the group stage, which led to the previous anticipation of featuring several 12:00 EST kick-offs. But with only 5 of the 16 host venues featuring retractable or permanent roofs, FIFA is reported to be having second thoughts about these early kick-offs.

Montagliani also emphasised that television needs for both European and American markets are among the matters under negotiation. Still, he warned that not all matches would seamlessly fit into the preferable broadcast timings and suitable weather conditions.

Apart from the game timings, when queried on U.S. President Donald Trump's recent proposition that the World Cup games could be shifted out of cities if deemed "unsafe", Montagliani replied by saying, "It's FIFA's tournament. They call the shots. With all respect to world leaders, football is greater than them."