Why FIFA is no longer setting World Cup kick-offs for Europe | OneFootball

World Cup 2026 is stretching French nights, with half of the 104 fixtures starting after midnight and some reaching six am. For many, it is as much a next-day watch as live.

According to L'Équipe, FIFA says scheduling is complex and player welfare is the priority, with broadcast slots, supporter access, weather and heat all factored in.

That marks a break with 1994 and 2014, when 77% and 83% of Paris kick-offs respectively fell between 18:00 and 23:00, despite similar time gaps.

Expansion explains much of the shift. With 48 teams across 16 cities and four time zones, space had to be found, and a quarter of the latest games do not start before three am, including Argentina v Algeria at three am and Colombia v DR Congo at four am.

American rights now weigh heavily. United States v Paraguay drew 24.9 million across Fox Sports and Telemundo, a national group-stage record and double Fox’s 2022 figure.

Summer heat has pushed games back after player complaints around mid-afternoon conditions at the 2025 Club World Cup. Staggered kick-offs reach multiple markets, a four am in France is 11:00 in Seoul and 20:00 in Mexico, as with South Korea v Czechia, which finished 2-1.

The group stage concentrates the late slots, with half of its 72 matches after midnight and nearly 40% between two am and six am. From the round of 16 the balance tilts to Europe, and the semi-finals in covered stadiums in Atlanta and Arlington are set for 21:00.

Source: L'Équipe