Netherlands v Japan is first on-time kick-off of 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Netherlands v Japan finished 2-2 and became the 2026 World Cup’s first match to start on the dot, kicking off at 22.00. It was the 10th game of the tournament.

Until then, every game had begun late by varying margins, a US-style trend reminiscent of the NBA. According to the BBC, none of the first eight kick-offs were on time.

The latest start was the opener, Mexico v South Africa, which ran six minutes behind. Other delays included Qatar v Switzerland by four minutes 53 seconds and Brazil v Morocco by four minutes 27 seconds.

Haiti v Scotland was two minutes 42 seconds late, Canada v Bosnia-Herzegovina two minutes 22 seconds and United States v Paraguay two minutes 19 seconds. Two of the eight slipped by under a minute, South Korea v Czechia by 51 seconds and Australia v Türkiye by 40 seconds.

FIFA sets a strict pre-match protocol, yet such slippage can frustrate supporters and television viewers. Beyond routine scheduling lags, Haiti v Scotland’s players emerged from the tunnel 90 seconds late, and a revamped anthem routine also pushes kick-off back.

With anthems sung at the centre of the pitch by the 26 players of each team, the logistics are heavier and take longer. The trend is expected to fade as the competition goes on, with the process becoming more fluid each time.

Source: L'Équipe